Raven's Wing
by Beloved Shadow of Light
Summary: A young girl with a very troubled past meets up with the Ronins and friends. It's up to them to help her come to deal with her past and heal, not to mention try and protect her from a new face of evil.
1. Chapter One

Raven's Wing  
Chapter 1  
Dragon Dagger  
& Yin-Yang

It was a bright, spring day at Han'a High School in the populous city of Toyama. As students were about ready to head over to their morning classes, a teenage girl walked through the front gates of the school grounds. She wore the school uniform: knee-length, blue skirt with a long sleeved shirt trimmed in blue with a sailor-type collar, and a red bow in the middle of it. She held her satchel in both hands before her, looking very nervous. A wind blew by her, sending wisps of curly, chocolate brown hair over her shoulders. She brushed them away and looked up to reveal a pretty face. She had matching chocolate brown eyes with the bangs falling into them. She sighed heavily and made her way to the office. 

Carrie watched outside the school from the classroom wondering if there would be anything exciting today. She was constantly bored in her classes and that boredom always manifested itself as trouble. She had gained herself a reputation as the raven-haired troublemaker. There were a couple of guys that were known as troublemakers as well and two of them were really good friends, but no one came close to the things she did. The old stunts still got the biggest laughs, as they required split second timing and insurance that the sensei was not paying attention. Once in a great while she would come up with a show stopper and she would enlist the help of the two friends to pull it off. They would usually agree because she always picked the teachers that needed an ego check.

"Attention class! We have a new student today!" The older man waited until the class was looking at him, sighing when he saw that Carrie was now paying attention again. "Introduce yourself."

The girl just nodded her head and bowed to the class. "My name is Manor..." she said softly. She lifted her head up and looked at the class nervously. "Shary Manor..." Immediately she didn't like the way some of the boys were looking at her.

Carrie grinned as she took in the slight girl at the front of the class. New people, hmm maybe today wouldn't be a waste after all. Looking at the guys in her class she spoke up since the sensei did not see fit to warn them. "Back off guys. She'll deal with you when she's ready." 

Grinning at the girl's red face she smirked at the instructor and gestured to the open seat beside her. Beings that there were no other open seats for the moment he gestured to the seat. 

"You may sit next to Deed-chan for now." He leveled a look that made everyone flinch but did not faze the one it was used on. "And should she give you any trouble you will notify me immediately."

"Yes sir," she said silently. Quietly she went to her assigned seat, actually flinching as one guy leered at her and sat down. She always kept her head lowered and her hands clasped tightly in her lap. Her hair fell over her shoulders, hiding her face from the class as she struggled to keep herself from breaking down.

Carrie felt sorry for this girl, she wasn't like the other new students this year, and she could practically feel the waves of hurt radiating off her. Carrie glared at the guys, her look promised them more trouble than they could handle if they didn't put their eyeballs back in their sockets and focus on the class work. That having been accomplished she wrote the new girl a note.

{Manor-san, don't mind the doorknobs in this class. You need a friend or three and I for one am willing to help you out. Just stick with me and I'll get you through today k?? As it is Most of the guys here are pigs. Just keep reminding yourself that you are here for a reason and that reason is not to please their optical nerves.

Deed Carrie}

She slipped it to Shary and hoped for a favorable reaction. She might not get one if she had been told about Carrie already. But it was worth a shot. ~Bastard, what an ass, never saw that she was uncomfortable up there.~ 

Carrie was the purveyor of comfort zones and if this new girl's reaction was any indication, she was going to need to call in a few favors to help her out until she got familiar with the school and the city.

Shary slowly took the note and read it. She risked a glance at the girl next to her and felt that she wouldn't hurt her. She wanted to trust her but pulled back. Last time she trusted someone he had hurt her beyond words. She wrote something back and folded it in half. Watching the sensei she slipped it back to the girl and kept twirling the silver ring around her finger.

(Miss Deed-chan~

Thank you for your concern. Forgive me if I seem distance but I am not used to trusting people. I will keep my distance from the boys in class. As for my reason for being here... I wish I knew what that was. Or even my reason for surviving.

Manor Shary)

Carrie cocked her head to one side as she read the note. This girl had some serious issues. However she knew what to do about that and taking out a sheet of paper she wrote another note and folded the paper quickly into the shape of a fish. She repeated the process until she had a Fish, Cat, Crane, Bull, and Shrub in front of her. None of the words were visible and she put them in her bag.

Looking up as the sensei asked her a question she grinned at its simplicity. Dang she hated these classes; she had to take them to get to the advanced classes even though she already knew the information inside out and backwards. Giving her answer she looked back over at the guys in the class and decided that a few of them needed lessons in manners. And so she thought out the proper punishments for the next day.

That taken care of she looked over at Shary. She looked very lost in this world and she was different for some reason even though she couldn't put her finger on it. She wrote another short note and passed it in a natural action that even her friends envied.

{Manor-san, Why not eat lunch with me today and meet some of my friends. I promise that no one will hurt you here and you will be fine. Join me please??

Carrie}

Shary looked at the note for a longtime. Debating whether or not to answer it, she simply wrote one word and passed it back.

(All right.)

Carrie grinned as she set about leaving the little animals where they would be found after class. Looking at Shary she smiled winningly. "Manor-san, what do you have for class next?? You know where it is??"

As the guys looked over Shary they recognized that Carrie had taken this one under her wing. The guys in that class knowing better than to mess with the new student now set about to tell the other guys that this was one student that they shouldn't mess around with just yet. Word spread quickly and one of the note carriers found the notes having anticipated them since he heard that Carrie had taken a new student in. If Carrie did that there was always a favor called in. Always.

She pulled out her schedule and peered at it. "I have physical education next. In the gym." Shary looked over at her. "Is it the big building near the parking lot?"

Carrie smiled and nodded. "Yep, Look, I won't be there to help you out and it is mixed class today. The guys tend to play rough to try to shake the new folk. If the guys start hassling you find a guy in that class named Kento Fung. He's a friend of mine and you need help, just tell him that you are under the Raven's wing and he'll help you out k??" 

Carrie was walking with Shary to the gym building explaining things as she went. She did not want this new girl scared out of her wits and at the same time she wanted to warn her as to what could happen and where she could go for help. "Kento's a big guy so he is a little hard to miss. Just remember what I told you and you'll be fine. Just don't get between him and a fight if it happens, he tends to be the local referee to keep them all from killing each other. If you need to see me at anytime, Jut let Kento know. He'll walk you to your next class and let you know who to trust there unless I ma in that class or it's lunch time ok?? Great! Gotta go, you'll be alright if you just remember what I told you."

Carrie took off for the academics building like a shot leaving Shary just inside the doors of the gymnasium.

The young girl watched her run off. She looked at the doors leading inside and took a deep breath. Then she went in.

The classes consisted of both boys and girls, but with the boys outnumbering the girls two to one. Shary hated that already. She also hated the uniform the girls were forced to wear: very short and tight, blue shorts with a white, long sleeved shirt pushed up to her elbows. She tied her hair in a low ponytail with a purple ribbon. She stood off to the side, wondering what they were going to do today. She was unaware of a group of guys coming towards her.

One of the guys whistled as the guys came about behind her. "Hey, where'd you come from babe?" The other guys started pestering her and pushing her slight form into the other members of their circle. The girls looked jealous as this new girl had gotten the attention of the boys they had all been drooling over. The guys however jeered and hooted as she was pushed about.

As the pushing and jeering continued Shary was finally pushed into a large form. Instead of being pushed back into the circle the hands that took her by the arms pushed her gently behind him and a low voice growled. "Back off!" 

"Hey hey hey, Kento m'man, Join the fun. She's cute ya know??" The hoots raised another pitch in decibel as the one named Kento turned to look at the girl he saved from the circle.

"Tell me," he started gently as he could see that she was uneasy and scared half out of her wits. "Do you know anyone here??"

Shary could only look at him with wide eyes. She tried to pull away from him but his hold on her was firm. This brought too many bad memories. "A-a girl... in class... said I was under R-Raven's wing... please... let me go..." she said in a low whisper.

Kento's eyes danced dangerously. He held his anger in check though as he saw her shaking and spoke to her quietly and soothingly. "There is a girl standing in the corner of the schoolyard over there." and he pointed to the girl with his free hand. "Go over to her and stay there for the class. She won't hurt you but I have a lesson to teach these apes about treating a lady in such a manner." 

As he released her hand he was still calm to her. "Go, you're safe now." He watched her race across the gym yard and then turned to the crowd of boys that still stuck around. The ones that caught the look in his eyes started to back away. Knowing that they were in for it now they tried to escape only to be backhanded by one of Kento's large hands. 

The hands that had been gently holding the slight girl's wrist but a moment before became an instrument of destruction as each of the guys that had been a part of the jeering and hooting crowd was hunted down and punished appropriately. Each of the guys felt like they had been hit by a Mack truck and the sensei who had seen it all knew better than to get in the burley boy's way so he let it go. She had seen it all and knew that the boys had this coming for a long time. 

The girl that Kento pointed out put a friendly arm around Shary and let her to a bench in the corner where she could sit down and catch up with herself. "Look, Kento's a good friend. He never mistreats the girls and in fact he is the one usually defending them on days when they single one out. He'll never hurt you, remember that. By the way, my name is Nikki; I've known Ken there since elementary school. Don't you worry; I can read lips even when people stutter. You are under the Raven's Wing now. You'll be fine as long as those creeps don't forget who the raven is."


	2. Chapter Two

Raven's Wing  
Chapter 2  
Dragon Dagger  
& Yin-Yang

Nikki grinned as she saw Kento doling out a rather severe punishment to the original circle of guys. Yes, she had been new once. She had moved for a few years and when she had come back Kento had been the one to save her from the circle. You get claimed by Kento or the Raven and you would be just fine in this school. 

Shary just nodded slowly. She watched what was being done to the guys who messed with her and wrapped her arms around her stomach. More memories came at her, each one being a painful reminder of why she never let anyone touch her least she could help it. Another reason why she hated this uniform, it revealed sometimes she never wanted to show. Although they were almost gone they could still be seen. 

"Kento?! Get in trouble??" Nikki laughed. "Yeah he gets in trouble sometimes, but that is only with the other parents. Kento has been kinda the girls gym supervisor for a while now. The staff let him do it cause they all know of the Fung's and they know that Kento wouldn't do anything to tarnish his reputation in that area." 

"Just watch out if he starts claiming you as a friend." She grinned "that means that he trusts you to not hurt him when he plays a joke on you." Nikki saw the look on Shary's face and quickly added. "But the ones he plays on the girls are nothing. Just little spoof and nuances to make us laugh. The guys on the other hand." And she trailed off laughing. 

When she regained herself her eyes were still dancing with laughter as she continued. "Kento is one of a pair of pranksters in this school. But no one can do a joke on anyone like Raven. She is the one that keeps the teachers here from getting to big an ego. No one quite knows what to make of her after all her time here but she definitely keeps things interesting. You just wait and see, if you ever hear a teacher bellowing like a mad bull it's usually Raven and crew at it again." 

Nikki winced as she looked over at the pile of guys that were leaning against each other. Kento had done his job again rather well and was headed over their way completely calm and probably feeling better for the work out. "You need a formal introduction to Kento now that he has taken care of business. Remember what I said. He will never hurt you and he will always treat you like a lady." 

As Kento walked up to them and smiled as Nikki had been herself and took her in. "Hey Nikki, How are things going over here. No trouble??" 

Nikki shook her head. "Kento this is Manor Shary, Shary...Shary??" Nikki had noticed that Shary was shaking again and got worried. Shary this is Kento, Please say hello to him?? I am not leaving here ok??" 

She swallowed twice before gathering the courage to speak. She bowed her head to him but didn't raise it. "Nice to meet you, sir." She didn't dare raise her head or look him in the eyes. That was what earned her the burning welt across her back. Even though it healed over, it still ached from time to time. 

Kento looked at her and then gently tipped her chin up to meet his gaze. Bowing to her he looked at her again and smiled. "It is a pleasure and an honor to meet you as well Manor-san. Class is almost over and you need to get dressed so that we can get you to your next class. Nikki will join us," and he glanced at her as she nodded quietly "and we'll get you to class. We'll also give you some background information on the way so that you get through it better. Come on." He gestured for Nikki to get her off the field away from the eyes and into the slightly more private locker rooms. 

Nikki got Shary up and moving towards the locker rooms and Kento followed them as far as the door. Turning he looked about the grounds and then headed for the guys lockers to quick shower and change for his next class. Geophysics. 

Shary waited until most of the girls had changed and took her clothes out of the locker. "Nikki-san... I'll be with you in minute... Lemme just change." Giving her a slight bow she went tot he far side of the changing room, trying to hide from everyone's view and changed back into her uniform. As she pulled her shirt over her head, she winced as her back protested. Across her shoulder blades was a white scar, just around her bra strap. Slowly, she pulled her uniform's shirt over head and finished dressing. Then she put her gym clothes into her gym locker and met up with Nikki. 

Nikki and Kento looked at her worriedly as she came out of the locker room. Smiling though Nikki and Kento flanked her but didn't make much contact with her. Kento knew that there was something wrong. He saw it in her eyes as she flinched away from the boys. When he talked to Nikki outside the locker rooms before Shary came out they agreed that someone had hurt her, and they had hurt her bad. No wonder Raven took her in. 

Kento tried as he could to be nice. He was nice by nature but he was trying to be gentle and careful, as Shary was a bit skittish around him yet. He knew it would take time, but he hoped that she would eventually trust him and Raven. "What is your next class?? We had better get going if you don't want to be late." 

Nikki nodded as she had promised to walk with them. She saw the signs and noted her skittishness. Like the deer that did not know who to trust she was willing to be a stable point as always. After all, Raven had claimed this one, now the rest had to follow through. 

Shary searched for her schedule and looked at it once more. She had so many classes; all she wanted to do was just go home. But at least this time she wasn't afraid to go home. "I have something called Bio-Chemistry," she said quietly. She put her schedule back in her satchel and kept her head bowed as they walked her to her next class. She had pulled the ribbon from her hair, leaving it loose once more and tied it to her bag's handles. 

Kento nodded and looked at Shary. "Well you are in luck. There is a friend in there you can trust. You know what to say if there is trouble, now all I have to do is get you to class and tell you who to look for. Remember what that girl told you if you ever get in trouble. Once you know who all of us are you will be able to tell any one of us when there is trouble and we'll take care of it until you get adjusted." 

Nikki took over the explanation from there. There will be a guy in your class he will be about Kento's height but definitely not his size." She snickered as Kento gave her a look of mock hurt and then continued. "His name is Ryo. Sit near him because in class you know that he will not be able to move much to help you out. Granted he has a few tricks up his sleeve for dealing with the hotshots, but it is best you sit with his group. Better yet I recommend that you inform him of who you are. He will already know to look out for you if he got the message on time. But he will not know who you are. Say hello to him. Tell him what you told Kento and you won't have any problems in class." She nodded 

"Yeah, the best way to beat a problem is to prevent it from happening. Ryo is a good friend and he will treat you with the same respect and dignity that I have. You just keep that in mind and you'll do fine." 

As they all came to a stop in front of the class doors she found herself looking and seeing not to many people there. There was a boy writing things on the chalkboard and a few others there for class. Ryo looked up and nodded to the trio and pointed to a set of desks near the back and the corner of the classroom. 

Nikki gently pushed Shary in direction of the desks with an encouraging wave left her in the room. Kento nodded and smiled and then walked a couple of doors down to his class certain of her safety. Kami-sama knew he did not want to get stripped and filleted by Raven if she came into any trouble. 

Shary looked at their fleeting backs and then headed to where she saw the young man. His hair was longer than most boys around the schoolyard but his eyes were an intense blue. She shied away from the few students in there, wanting to run and hide but she continued her slow trek to the group of desks. She had to be sure. "A-Are you Ryo-san?" she asked quietly, not meeting his eyes. 

Ryo looked at her for a moment and then smiled reassuringly. "Yeah, I'm Ryo, Sanada Ryo, How do you know me??" It was the question he had asked several times before as he gestured to the empty seats next to him. 

"The people I were with told me... Nikki-san and Kento-san told me that I could trust you... Also told me to tell you that I'm under Raven's wing..." Her hands tightened on her satchel's handle. Already she could feel herself getting tense and nervous. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. She started to take a step back to go to another desk. 

"Whoa, Easy does it there. Kento is a good friend of mine, and when Nikki tells you something you can believe it. She has a sixth sense about people; I have never seen her wrong yet. Please sit down, I don't bite and I promise on my word of honor as a gentleman that I will not hurt you in any way." Ryo's eyes took on intensity as he heard the words the girl said. Something made her very nervous around people and from the look Nikki gave him this was going to be a long trust building person. 

Ryo smiled again as a couple more people came into the room. They stared openly at the new girl but the glare they received from the raven-haired boy made them thing twice about causing trouble. He was in guardian mode now and no one messed with him then. When Ryo said jump in this mode you jumped and then asked how high and found a way to reach it. 

Reaching out gently he took her by the hand and sat her down in the desk next to his but not the one in the corner. He left her a way out in case she needed to bolt as something about her manner practically screamed at him that she was running from something in her past yet. 

Shary started when he took her hand but all he did was lead her to her seat. Like a gentleman. She looked up at him briefly and softly thanked him. She played with the ribbon on her bag, not sure what to do or say now since it was still more or less early for class to begin. 

Absently her mind wondered as to how lucky, so far, she was to have met the few people here. They treated her kindly and tried not to scare her in any way. For that much she was truly grateful. But in her life evil intentions could be hidden under a pretty face or kind gesture. If they wanted her to trust them it would take a long time. But one she gave he trust to someone, she valued it more than anything in the world. 

Ryo kept an eye on her and as the class was called to order the roll was taken and the look Ryo gave the sensei told him that the new student was shy. He nodded and continued with class, the lesson being taught was on the board for all to see and follow along with. Ryo only waited for her to ask him about anything she did not understand but otherwise kept the class at bay. 

The girl was pretty yes, but there was something there, a fear that overlaid the natural beauty and he was being called on to help her through that fear and her first days of class. He knew that one of them would be walking her home tonight from class and he thought that maybe Nikki could help since Shary seemed uncomfortable around the guys. 

Pulling a sheet of paper out he wrote her a quick note.

{Trust is a beautiful gift; you are not the first to be slow to trust others. We will wait for your trust and only be your friends until that time, Should you need anything here in class, just let me know. I have given my word, I will help you all I can, we all will. 

Sanada Ryo} 

Passing it to her he hoped that she would read it and understand what he meant. He wanted to comfort her and help her nerves as she was still shaking a bit now and then. He was worried and it brought out his most protective side. One that did not come out too often. 

Shary looked at the words for a long time. She was started at what he had written but relaxed a bit when she realized that he probably meant Kento and Nikki. And maybe even Carrie. She wrote down under his message, taking her time and choosing her words carefully. Then she folded it and passed it back to him. 

(Sanada-san 

Although can be easily given at times, it can also be easily broken. Time has always been a virtue. Thank you for your kindness. I will give you my word as well, once you all have gained my trust, know that I will treasure it more then anything in the world. 

Manor) 

Ryo nodded slightly to show he understood and then smiled again. She was at least willing to give them a chance, that was more than some had done in the past. He wrote down all of the assignments that she would need to do in order to at least catch up in the understanding of what was going in the class. Under that he wrote two phone numbers. Beside those numbers he wrote. {Manor-san, Call here or here if you need any help with your assignments. Best of luck. Sanada Ryo.} 

As the class continued and came to a close he handed her the slip of paper with the assignments and the numbers and then gestured to the door. "Should I guess that you probably have lunch next??" Smiling he waited for her to exit first before catching up with her to show her to the lunch area. "Raven mentioned that we all would be having lunch together, I have lunch next so that probably means that you have it then too if I am not mistaken." 

"In fact, I do." She gave him a small smile and followed him. "I was in a hurry this morning... I'm afraid I forgot to pack my own lunch." Luckily she had some money with her. She silently followed him, feeling not so tense now but she was wary. Time is a virtue. She just had to keep telling herself that. 

"Well there is a bento hut on the grounds they have lunches there for the students." Ryo walked with her to the schoolyard out front where everyone went for lunch and headed with her to the Bento hut and as she got her lunch a couple of the more daring guys made a comment "Woohoo! Go Ryo!" 

Ryo could only turn to the maker of the comment and the flames hit his eyes. The guy's buddies and he were all upper classmen but not even they were willing to take Ryo on. Most of the school at one point or another had seen the effects of Ryo's temper and they all knew that even the Kendo team's top member Sage wouldn't take Ryo on when he looked like that. 

In a calm and perfectly rational voice he spoke to them. "I, would suggest to you gentlemen, and I use the term loosely, that you turn around and walk back the way you came to crawl back under your respective rocks. Any further comment will result in a prompt and painful beating that you will not soon forget."


	3. Chapter Three

Raven's Wing  
Chapter 3  
Dragon Dagger  
& Yin-Yang

The guys all backed off and moved to another part of the grounds as Ryo, who had released his anger and was calm now, led a shaking Shary to one of the larger trees to sit and wait for the others. 

Moments later Carrie, Kento, and Nikki all walked up to them and smiled as they sat in a loose circle. Which soon expanded to include a tall blond boy, a taller Blue haired boy, and then a Brown-haired kid. Carrie then made introductions. "Ok Shary, these new folk are Date Sage, Hashiba Rowen, and Mouri Cye. They all nodded to her in greeting and then looked at Ryo. 

"We saw what happened. You ok Ryo?" Cye looked at his friend concernedly. Ryo when mad almost never cooled off that fast. Usually it took a hard sparring match to get things out of his system. But Ryo looked cool as if the incident never happened. 

"Fine guys, I'll talk to them later about their conduct." The almost predatory look in his eyes scared them all except Carrie who grinned and reminded him. 

"Just remember the boundaries that were set Ryo. Go beyond them and you know what happens." Ryo nodded and toned down a bit before sloughing off the anger. "Shary, What class do you have next??" 

Still shaking nervously, she pulled out her schedule and read it, placing her lunch at her side. "I-I have two more classes after this... and then a free period. Literature and Music." As she puts her schedule away she couldn't help but start to think about the new boys she just meet right now. 

Date Sage, Kendo master and captain for the Kendo fencing team, was a quiet boy with a sense of tradition all around him. She was wary of him. Mainly it had to do with his eyes. They seemed cold, like ice. It would probably take longer to trust him than the others. 

Mouri Cye, a quiet and soft-spoken young man. He seemed very trust-worthy and always seemed to smile. She was already beginning to trust him, but was careful. There was something about him that showed that he was no weakling as his appearance showed for it. 

Hashiba Rowen, the most unique person she had met and the smartest, she briefly looked into his eyes and was immediately reminded of the midnight sky. He was slender, judging that he was probably in a light sport, maybe fencing like Date-san or something else. He seemed to have a troubled past, but hers was more painful. 

Fung Kento. The first one she meet literally scared her. It was mainly of his size and frame that scared her but then when he punished the boys at gym class it scared her more. But he showed that he had a gentle side. All the girls seemed to be treated like a younger sister by him. That would take some time getting used to. Since she never had anyone like that. 

Sanada Ryo. Someone she knew she never wanted to get upset. He was tame at the moment, but when the upper-classmen came up his temper flared up. He reminded her automatically of a dormant volcano, suddenly stirred to life and then going dormant once more. 

Nikki-san. The second girl she met that didn't sneer at her nor look down her nose at her. She helped her by explaining just how Kento was and then stayed with her even though she didn't have to. She thought it was just because Kento told her to stay with her, but now she was thinking that maybe she wanted to stay because she wanted to be her friend. It would've been nice to have a friend like her in her past. 

And last but not least was Carrie. A girl who seemed to put everyone in their place, including teachers. She was the first one to befriend her, taken her under her wing so to speak. She had a strong theory that she must be this Raven person that everyone stayed out of her way. We're these also the 'we' that Ryo mentioned in his note? Most likely so. 

All in all they were all good people and she hoped she could trust them. And she also hoped, that she was worthy of their trust. She had always prayed that she would have friends who cared for her and helped her. And now, hopefully, these people were them. 

Carrie knew that Shary was wary about her. Noting this she knew that she and the others were on the right track to finding out more about her. As Carrie had often noted to the guys, one could often learn more about a person by their guards than by their openness. For the open can hide many things. That was proven with Cye. He gave of himself with out really giving too much about himself. 

"Hmmm well for the Lit class you will see Hashiba Rowen. You already know that you can trust him to keep things subdued there." She smiled. "Then you have Music huh? Well for that class you will see Date Sage. Trust him. He is a good friend to everyone who he claims as a friend." She leaned over and whispered into Shary's ear. 

"Don't let the eyes fool you Shary-san he is a warm and loving individual, you just need to see him for who he is to understand him." Smiling she nodded her head to one side and then looked at Cye. "That Free period of yours still open Cye-san?" 

As he nodded she smiled. "Good. You will be seeing Cye during your free period. If anyone can understand it is him, so if you ever need to talk..." She trailed off. The bell rang and Carrie and Rowen stood up to walk Shary to her lit class. 

"Okay." She silently followed them to her next class. She hadn't eaten much of her lunch but she didn't have a big appetite today. She hugged her satchel to her chest and sighed softly. She looked in the direction of Hashiba-san, still keeping her head bowed down. "Am I far behind the others?" she asked quietly. 

Rowen looked at her and smiled winningly. "Well, the Sensei doesn't know jack about the subject since the original teacher left with some problems just before the school started. We probably know more about the subject than he does and so I usually end up teaching the class. Today's not my day so don't worry things are gonna be smooth as glass for ya." 

He looked at her and suddenly it hit him why her formalities and manners seemed so familiar. "Hey, We can be a rough bunch but we always treat the ladies with respect. You don't have to go about here in the old ways. You miss too much that way." Grinning he opened the door for her and let her into the classroom before taking her hand gently and leading her to the seat beside him. Most of the class had seen her outside at lunch with the Raven clan and so they just rearranged around the setup and waited for class to start. 

Rowen was a thinker and a talker when his mind was of the notion. Taking out a small colored piece of paper he folded it into a small flower and then attached it to a note. 

{Ask me anything about the guys, Nikki or Carrie, if I know the answer I'll tell ya. 

Hashiba Rowen} 

Shary took the note and flower, looking at them for a long time. His words echoed in her mind and she could feel herself beginning to trust them even more. She took out her pen and wrote back to him and slid it back to him. She smiled very slightly, holding the paper blossom in her hands. She had been raised almost all her life to obey the traditional rules her parents put before her. But he also had a point. It was going to be hard, but she would try. Looking over at him she nodded her head slightly, smiling softly.

(Hashiba-san 

Thank you for your concern, and for the flower. It's very nice. 

Manor Shary) 

The reputation of the group was known by everyone but that not always a good thing. The group couldn't be there for her all the time. And once they let her out of her site for just a moment they were going to have some fun. If the new girl had the ability to read minds, she would have grown sick at what many of them were thinking. Instead, she continued to hold the small gift in her hands. 

Rowen looked about and noticed a few things he did not like. He wasn't the one that could get an easy feel for what the room situation was. That was Cye's department, but Rowen did not need Cye to tell him that this school was going to be like a pack of wolves to Shary if they were to cause her trouble. 

They went through the class peacefully and trouble was kept to a minimum. Rowen was known as a slow cooker, but when the gloves came off he was more trouble than anyone there really wanted to handle. The thinker usually thought out his fights meaning that no one really stood a chance against him. Only five others in the school were a match for him and one of them he wouldn't fight. 

The bell rang for class to be over and Rowen took her back as he let her through the door. As he walked her down the hall to her Music class he nodded to her. "Sage only looks cold Shary-san, Music is one of his passions so you should get a better and slightly more realistic view of him in this class. Traditional he may be, but he doesn't mess around when he is in protectorate mode. He'll be a good friend, just give him a chance." 

"Alright," she said quietly. In fact, she was looking forward to this class. One rule her parents forced her to learn was to play an instrument. Since they numbered it down to instruments of the classical kind she choose piano. She tucked the flower he had given her in her bag, tied with her ribbon. 

The classroom was fairly large since it held many instruments and few desks placed in a semi-circle. So far it was empty and they were the first to arrive. In the far corner of the room stood a magnificent, grand piano. Shary's eyes seem to lighten some. For a brief moment, she looked Rowen in the face and bowed to him, thanking him for his help. Then with slow, hesitant steps she approached the instrument. She sat down on the bench, poised and began to play one of her favorite melodies by Beethoven. "Moonlight." 

Sage saw Rowen, as he was about to leave the doorway. Hearing the piano being played in the room he nodded at Rowen in understanding that the girl needed to cut loose and relax a bit. If the piano did it for her than who was he to interrupt? Slipping quietly into the room he put his things into the desk he was always at. 

Shary was so far into the music he noted that she had not even noticed that he had entered the room. Smiling slightly as he identified the music he pulled a wooden flute out of the racks and checked it. Breathing softly he started playing the countermelody to the piano. Noticing that he had startled her he nodded for her to continue. He was enjoying the melodic weave of the music and wanted to continue, but only if she was going to keep going. 

She just nodded her head and continued playing. The notes were soft and twined together, making a very soothing melody. She relaxed some more and looked back at the keys. After a while she let her eyes close and let her hands do all the work. She remember how long it taught her to learn this melody, the pain she received when she had made her mistakes. But in the end it was worth it. Every time she felt so depressed and unsure what to do she could always play the piano and lose herself in the music. 

Sage continued to weave around and through her melody with the harmony of the flute, he noticed that she was losing herself into the music he smiled in his mind. He slowly closed his eyes and continued to play as he walked over by the piano to get a better feel for the music. 

As they ended together it was as if they had been practicing that piece together for weeks instead of doing the impromptu concert. When they finished they were both startled by the applause from the rest of the class that had arrived and the sensei that had just walked in towards the end. 

"Wonderful, that was absolutely spectacular. You must be Shary, Please have a seat and I would like to speak with you and Sage after class." Sage looked at her and noted that she had gone white from the attention. Taking her hand gently he brought her down off the riser that held the piano to the seat next to him. After seating her and getting several dirty looks from both sexes in the classroom, he turned his coldest gaze on them and they started doing their own work. 

Sage was in awe of this girl's talent. She was stunning on the piano and he was hoping that maybe they would be able to do something like that again. He had really enjoyed it and he could tell that she did too. 

{Shary-san, I really enjoyed what we did with the music. It was enchanting as well as relaxing. Please say that we can do something like that again in the future. 

As for this class, don't mind the students and listen to the Sensei, she knows music and she can teach you things about music that you probably never thought of. Consider what is said and think on your own. Do that and you will have this teacher wrapped around your little finger in no time. 

Please relax and enjoy this class, you don't relax enough and if you like, we can do something before class daily if you like. 

Like my friends, I will be your friend, you need anything, just ask.

Date Sage} 

Shary read the note carefully as she also tried to pay attention to what the sensei was telling them. She felt herself blush very lightly at what he wrote about their playing. No one had ever told her she played that well. Her family usually just said 'it was okay.' And maybe Hashiba-san was right. He seemed to have felt the same thing she did. She wrote her message under his own and slid it back to him. 

(Date-san 

Thank you very much for your compliment and perhaps we can do this again. Maybe. I will follow your advice and do my best in class. I just want to learn and develop my skills more. As for relaxing...) 

She had paused, thinking hard on what to say. 

(As for relaxing... I just have so many things on my mind at the moment. And like I have written to the others, I thank you for your concern and kindness. 

Manor Shary) 

Sage quickly scanned the note and looked over at Shary. Making sure that he had caught her eye he smiled at her and then returned his attention to the Sensei for the remainder of the class. When she let them out a few minutes early she looked at Sage and Shary. Sage nodded and glanced at the girl. "Its ok" he spoke in a low tone, "She really liked what we were doing and probably has something in mind for us to do for extra credit or something."


	4. Chapter Four

Raven's Wing  
Chapter 4  
Dragon Dagger  
& Yin-Yang

He led her up to the Sensei and as he made a short bow he smiled. The Sensei looked up from her books and smiled back. "Sage, Shary, that was absolutely wondrous earlier today. I have an idea for you two if you feel that you may be up to it." Se looked from one to the other and then continued. 

"If you wouldn't mind I would like to put you two into a recital I am putting together. A couple of pieces in Piano/Flute duet and then if you wouldn't mind, I would like Sage here to put that wonderful tenor voice of his to use and be accompanied by you Shary on a few classical pieces. What do you think??" 

Sage did not mind the idea and he would fully support Shary in her practices if she would do it. And knowing the Sensei, they would have access to the music department at odd hours so that they could rehearse in privacy or for their friends. He looked at her to let her know that she was the one that would make the plan a go for them all. He also touched her hand lightly so that she would know that she had his and the guys' full support. 

Shary looked over at him and then back at the sensei. She wasn't sure... but if this was the only way she could play the piano and express herself then so be it. 

"A-Alright. I'll do it... sensei." She bowed her head, keeping her head down. Her knuckles were turning white from strain as she clenched her bag tightly. She just wanted to go home right now. Calming herself down, she hummed the tune of Moonlight in her mind, hoping that Date-san or the Sensei didn't notice her unease. 

Sage looked at Sensei and then to the girls who had many faces. "We will be ready, if you have the music for us to learn Sensei we will be ready for the program when ever you have it planned." 

Sage was cool, and calm, like a lake in the summer he covered for Shary smoothly and gave the sensei a look that conveyed volumes. The teacher nodded and turned over the copies of the music. "The program will be in two months. You have a key to this room Sage, feel free to come in and practice at anytime." Sage bowed again and thanked her. 

Turning he gently directed Shary out the door, "Are you certain you are ok with this Shary-san?" He asked her quietly as they walked down the hall. 

"Yes... I love playing the piano... helps me relax sometimes..." she told him quietly. She sighed deeply and brushed some of her hair behind her ear. "Perhaps we can practice after classes or something?" She lifted her satchel into her arms and hugged it tightly. 

Sage nodded understandingly when his hand shot out and grabbed the student's arm that was behind them. "I wouldn't recommend doing that if I were you. Raven has her under the wing now so I would suggest you back off." As he turned to look at the student, his voice was deadly calm and his manner perfectly deferential to the older student, but it was also a subtle warning. 

The student nodded and Sage released his hand smiling. "You will let the others know??" The student nodded and walked off in a different direction and Sage gestured for Shary to continue. "Don't worry Shary, he is one of the biggest talkers in the school, knowing him, the news will be about by the morning and you won't have much to worry about after that. If you like one of us could walk you home for a while. That way the wolves won't come out." 

They were headed outside again and when they got to the tree that they had sat under for lunch Sage knelt down and picked up a very small stone. Tossing it up, it never came back down until Cye dropped down next to them from the branches with the pebble in his hand. "Darn you Sage, you always have to wake me up that way??" 

Sage merely smiled serenely and then nodded to Shary. "Set the days and times for rehearsal and I will be there. Until we meet again." And he walked off leaving her with Cye. Cye only shook his head and then looked over at Shary. "Want to talk?" Was the only thing he said, as he looked her in the eye. The green blue eyes reflecting a light of understanding that he knew that Shary would understand. 

The young girl was once more nervous and before she could keep her head bowed she looked into his eyes. That almost did her in. She wanted nothing more but to just break down the wall that she erected all those years again. "I... I..." But she couldn't. No matter how much she wanted to just let it all out something wouldn't let her. She looked away. 

"I can't talk... not now..." she tightly shut her eyes and covered her mouth, willing herself not to cry. Another breeze flew by and blew her hair into her face. It coved the slight tear that slowly rolled down her cheek. She didn't even bother to brush it aside nor push her hair back. 

Cye reached out to her and gently pulled her close to him in a loose hug. He only circled her lightly letting her know that if she wanted to leave the comfort session she was more than able to. "Shhh, it will be ok. Something very painful happened to you in your past. You want to forget it and go on. Part of forgetting is dealing with that problem. I am willing to listen." 

Cye's voice was low and comforting as he tipped her head up to gently use his thumb to brush the tear from her cheek. Looking into her eyes with his own, not judging, but just looking. He knew that there was much pain in her past; it was obvious from the way she acted around the boys of the school. They had all picked up on that and treated her with the utmost respect. Of them all they knew that Cye would try to reach out to her. 

He turned her slightly and walked her over to a small bench that was near the tree and sat her down. Just holding her hand he sat next to her and gently brushed his thumb over the back of her hand. He would let go if she wanted him to, but for now he just wanted to comfort her and make her a little more comfortable. 

Shary just sat there, still fighting back tears. She didn't mind that Cye was still holding her hand. She knew she could have escaped but she didn't. She took a deep breath and looked over at their joined hands. "Arigato, Mouri-san," she said softly. Her eyes were still bright with unshed tears but she didn't dare give into them. Not here, and not now. 

"I have not had an easy childhood... I know that it will not be easy... but I just need some time to understand all what's going on..." She sighed deeply and looked at him from beneath her curtain of long hair. "But I appreciate all your concern." 

Cye smiled softly and then brushed her hair out of her face gently. "No, you are right, it was not easy for you. Time heals most wounds; others you need to trust others to help heal, Time and Trust are virtues that not many understand. Like you, everyone under the Raven's wing has had a particularly dark moment in their past, and like you, we all had to learn to trust again. Some of us were forced into the trust factor, but it was for the best. We won't do that to you, but we do hope that you will trust us all in the end. Sage likes your musical Talent and he meant what he said about you setting up the schedule. This way we can work around you." He stood up and using gentle pressure on her hand, got her to stand up as well. 

"Come, let's get you to your locker and then get you home. Sage will walk with us today, if you do not mind. I think that two of us will walk with you daily until you are better known around here. If you like, we can also train you a little bit to defend yourself. There is not much to it for the basics and you will not get hurt as easily from the idiots around here if you do take us up on that. Nikki would probably take on your training." His voice remained soft and encouraging as he continued to try and draw her out a little more. 

"Alright. If you think it would be best." She softly smiled at him and felt herself opening up some more. It was so hard not to be afraid him, and he was so trustworthy. When she looked into his eyes once more she didn't bow her head as she always did. Instead she just smiled a genuine smile for the first time in who knew how long. 

From across the courtyard, watching the two of them from within a classroom a pair of jealous eyes watched. He growled as he saw how the one called Cye was talking with the new girl, even holding her hand when earlier she shied from everyone else. When he saw her smile he smiled wickedly. He knew everything about Raven but that didn't scare him. He would take her right out from underneath their noses and teach her some bedside manners. 

"I live just down the street," she told Cye as they waited for Sage, still admiring the flower Rowen had made her. "It's pretty big so it's hard to miss." 

Cye had noticed the flower and smiled. "Rowen was always good at things like Origami. I see that he like the rest of us was trying to help you feel a little more at home here." Looking up he nodded. "There's Sage and it looks like he is ready to go." Smiling slightly playfully he looked at her and bowed like a gallant noble. "Is m'lady ready to be escorted to her abode??" 

"Very much so, sir knight." She hid her slightly giggle behind her hand. Tucking the flower in her bag she tentatively smiled at Sage. It was going to take sometime but she could already feel herself trusting them. When Sage came up to them she bowed a little and curtsied some. "I'm ready to go when you are." 

Sage grinned at Cye and then spoke to her. "Well then m'lady, away we go." Sage gestured for her to precede them and as they left the grounds of the school the guys looked up at the building and nodded. Moving along the street towards the indicated house. Sage and Cye were in a good mood and they were well on their way to getting Shary to trust them. They needed to talk but not with the girl around. 

As they came up to the door of the house they walked her right up to it and smiled at her. "Shary, I know Rowen gave you our numbers, if you need anything, help or problems wise we will be there." Cye stepped back a few steps and Sage stepped forward. "This is my mobile number, we each have one and I will bet that Ryo gave you his. Rest up some keep us in mind and then call me when you are ready to schedule the rehearsal times ok? They can happen at any time. As for what Cye talked to you about during your free period, keep it in mind. It might save your life." Sage's eyes were worried for her as he backed up. 

Shary nodded at them both, her mouth suddenly losing the smile she had earlier. She knew what they meet and they wouldn't be there for her all the time. She looked at them and gave them a small smile. "I know you both mean well. And I'll be careful. Arigato... for everything." She unlocked the door and waved to them as she stepped inside. "Sayonara." As the door clicked shut, she leaned up against it and looked at the numbers in her hand, along with the paper blossom. 

Rowen and the others met up later that evening at a restaurant not far from the house of Shary. As they all made comparisons as to how she had started to loosen up around the end of the day. Carrie was worried, there were some disturbing rumors going about the school, they weren't nice at all. Very soon she would have to ask the mother of all favors of the group to ensure the girl's safety. 

Nikki noticed the girl's disquiet and was worried. It wasn't often that the trickster herself was worried about something. Something major must have started recently. And if Carrie was worried, it meant really ugly repercussions on the person that would set her off. 

As they split off for the night they moved off in pairs and headed home. It had been decided that Kento and Nikki would stop by the house in the morning to pick her up for school. It had not been asked of them and they didn't care. Cye had known that this girl's past was going to keep her from fighting. They were going to keep her safe until she could fight again. 

Shary silently did her homework and the extra assignments that Ryo had given her so she wouldn't get too far behind. Later she fixed herself a small dinner and then decided her hand at the music sheets. Her home was very large, wit some furniture here and there. Even some imported and expensive pieces but it didn't matter to her. It was so lonely. She went to the large den and began to play the piano that stood in the middle of the room.


	5. Chapter Five

Raven's Wing  
Chapter 5  
Dragon Dagger  
& Yin-Yang

Like in the music class she closed her eyes and let herself be lost. A couple of times she messed up and would always rub the back of her hands. She remembered painfully how every time she touch the wrong note her mother slapped a ruler against her hands. One time she even hit hard enough to where the metal bit into her skin. 

"Still hurts after all these years..." she told herself. She climbed up the stairs to her room located in the far end of the large house. Closing the door behind her and pulling the curtain close she slowly began to undress and slipped into an oversized shirt. She curled up on her bed and debated whether or not to call Sage. After school was fine with her. Or maybe it would be better on the weekends. After a long time, she picked up the phone and dialed the number. 

Sage heard the phone ring, Checking the CID he picked up immediately. "Hello, This is Sage." 

"Sage? This is Shary... I wasn't disturbing you, was I?" She curled up on her bed, hugging a worn stuffed animal tightly. 

"Not at all" he reassured her. "What's on your mind??" Sage sat up in bed and proceeded to get goose bumps on his upper body from the cooler night air. Shuddering slightly he grabbed a spare shirt from on the chair next to his bed and threw it on as he waited for her to word her reply. 

"Gomen for calling late but it's about the music rehearsal. I was wondering if we can do it on the weekends since we all have class assignments and such during the week." She rolled onto her side, turning her back on the window. "And maybe... we can ask everyone else to listen to us practice." 

"Sure we can do that. Occationally the Kendo team practices on the weekends and I have to be there to open up the gym for that. I can be there for the other weekends as well. How is the music, you feel it is something that we can work through?" Sage could feel himself smiling, he loved music and he had already gone through the flute music. It was beautiful to hear and with practice he knew that it would be beautiful to see as well. He had only skimmed the vocal music but from what he saw, it wouldn't be anything that would tax him too much. He would definitely need to warm up before attempting some of the upper octave stretches, but he had the breath control and the focus to do it all. 

"Oh yes. I think that with enough practice... the show will be a big success," she said softly, rubbing her hands on reflex. "I guess... tomorrow we can decide on what times we can meet?" 

Sage listened to her and took a stab in the dark, wondering what was possessing him to do this. "Sure thing. Shary-san, are you certain you're alright??" He prayed to Kami-sama that she wouldn't hang up on him. So many people thought he was a freak just because his training with his grandfather had sharpened his senses to an uncanny degree. He was hoping that he was doing the right thing in exposing himself this early. 

"... I'm okay, Date-san... Just some bad memories..." She hugged her stuffed rabbit tighter. "I'll see you and the others tomorrow?" 

"They must be some pretty powerful memories to haunt you in your waking hours. Take care, you will see us tomorrow in your classes, same as today ok??" Sage was genuinely worried, not many girls he met had such ghosts in their eyes. 

"Alright... Arigato, Date-san." she said quietly. Slowly, she lowered the phone back down on the ringer, hanging it up, and climbed in under her blankets. She hugged her rabbit tightly and curled up against it. She lets her eyes drift close and buried her face in its soft, white fur. Pretty soon she was asleep. 

Sage hung up the phone and put it back on the charger for the next day and went back to bed. He did not however go to sleep right away since the call woke him up and thoroughly confused him. He liked her, but as a friend, He loved the way they instinctively timed music together. He was not able to play like that and have so much fun since he moved away from his mother. 

Running the notes of the flute music through his head and then the notes of the piano music through his head he soon was relaxed and in a dreaming state of sleep. 

In a large home just down the street from Han'a High, a scream was faintly heard from inside. It didn't disturb the neighbors but in the alley a cat screeched and went running into the shadows to hide. 

Shary sat up straight in bed, her hair hung over her shoulders in damp curls, her skin was pale, eyes wide is fright and a slight sweat on her body. She looked around her room and settled her vision on a small photo on her nightstand. It was of a family: man and woman in formal get up, a young boy looking very serious, and a little girl with sad eyes. 

"A-A nightmare... but it was real... too close..." The memories of that fatal car accident came back to her. The screaming, the tears, the pain, the flames, the blood- 

Shary shook her head roughly, shoving the images from her mind. She walked over to her window seat and sat down to watch the night sky. "Why was I allowed to live?" she asked softly. The young girl continued to sit there, even as the sun's rays started to rise into the sky. It was another night of endless sleep. 

~Next Morning~ 

Shary was already dressed and was getting her books ready fro class today. She was still so very tired that she hoped she wouldn't fall asleep in classes today. She looked up in surprise when she heard someone at her door and went to answer it. 

"Kento-san, Nikki-san! Konichiwa." She bowed to them and opened the door for them. "Please, come in." 

"Konichiwa Shary-san" they chorused back at her as they stepped into the house they smiled at her and noted that she was almost ready for school. "Did you sleep well last night??" Nikki asked looking at the girl she wanted to call friend carefully. 

Shary nodded and made a small yawn behind her hand. "Alright. I didn't know you guys were going to walk with me to school today." 

Nikki nodded. "Yeah, Thought you might like the company for a while ya know??" 

Kento smiled at her and let the girls out first once they were all ready. "Oh, Sage called me to tell you that he would like to meet you in the music room early again today. Something about running scales for vocals in class today." Kento and the others knew that Sage had to occationally do a demonstration for the newly settled boys in the school. However none of the group had ever heard him sing before. The fact that he was having Shary help him with warm ups said a lot. 

"Alright." She made sure the door was securely locked and together they all walked to school. She felt a little more open to the two of them and it showed as she talked with them some, and even looked up at them from time to time. She smiled a little and just seemed a little bit more open. However, the ghosts were still apparent in her eyes. Pretty soon they arrived at the courtyard of the school. From the distance, a pair of eyes watched her enter the grounds. 

Kento looked up at a random window in the school and smiled. "Looks like we're in luck. Carrie-san beat us all to school. Lets get you to class so that you can talk to her and ask her any questions. I know you have a few...I know I did when I got here. Sound right to you??" 

They made for the school and the first hour class. Upon their arrival to the room they were met at the door by Carrie who nodded to the pair. "Come in come in. Today is 20 questions. You ask I tell ok? No holds barred and only a few get that treatment." 

Shary was a bit taken back but she nodded. "I was just wondering if you could tell me some more about the school. That way I won't get lost here or anything." She did want to know more about the others but she thought it might be best if she asked them herself. 

Carrie had been expecting other questions since she knew that Shary had been given a map of the grounds and how the buildings were laid out. Well the student population here is a little over 1000 here scattered over all four grades. You have seen the layout of the school, so I am going to tell you about the students." 

Carrie sat back in her seat and collected her virtual database on the student population of Han'a high. "The good egg population comprises of about 99.98% of the school. The Bad eggs or troublemakers that are constantly in trouble are the other small percentage and you can consider Raven and crew in that group. Yep, even saints Sage, Ryo and Cye are included in the troublemaker group. Kento and Rowen tend to help Raven out on a few projects but they cause trouble of their own. Did you know that Rowen can bench press Kento when he is of the mind to do it?" 

Carrie chuckled. "Yep, the walking brain may look like a featherweight but man you need something moved, he and Kento are the ones to talk to. As for the other bad eggs of the school, most of them stay in line because of Raven and only cause minor trouble. But there are a couple that know me and pay me no mind. I hate stringing them into line, but with them it has to be done the hard way. Stay away from them. They are easy to find because unlike the guys you've met who only get angry and blow off and calm down. These guys radiate something foul, and it isn't BO. 

"I understand and will be careful. Tell me, why did you and the others befriend me? I'm no one special." She looked away in shame. Those were the words her family always threw at her when they were upset. They didn't know they put up with her and such. 

"Honey, everyone is special, you, me, Raven, and the guys. Then the other special folk are the rest of the students, the teachers and the bum lot that I warned you about. It just takes one person to repeat like a parrot bad words to keep someone else from rising up and out of the bucket. You know about crabs when they're stuck in a bucket??" Carrie smiled softly. 

"Well when one gets to the top of the bucket to get out the others try to crawl out using him as a ladder. Doesn't work, the weight of them all pulls them all back to the bottom of the bucket. Its cycle, some of us get out and are free and others have to work even harder than the rest to get out. You are special because even though you parrot what you've bee told, you keep trying anyways to improve yourself and your life." 

"Maybe you're right," she said softly. Then she decided to try and change the subject. Something she has been wondering about. "You and sometimes the others mention the Raven. Who is he/she?" 

"Raven is actually a code name/guide. You see, I have what is known as a spirit guide, the Raven. He is the guide of temperance, knowledge and understanding. I am sometimes called Raven because Ravens are also mischief-making birds, I am a prankster and line drawer. The office won't do anything about the guys and me because we do not discriminate in keeping the school in line. The old line of justice being blind really applies here. The guys have even nailed each other for over stepping the lines. But as I said before, there are others that don't care. And it is those that I really watch and they never know it." 

Carrie had lowered her voice and turned her face from the window so she could keep an eye on who was watching them. Who Raven was, was not common knowledge though what they all did was public and blatant. 

Shary just nodded her head, her eyes holding a look of understanding in them. "I know what you mean. No since having everyone who is not your ally know the Raven's identity. The secret is safe with me." She looked out the window as well, thinking to herself of her own animal guide. The same one that protected her from the car accident. 

Class was starting to begin and the students began to enter the classroom and take their seats. Shary wordlessly took her seat and took out what she would need for this class today. 

Throughout class Carrie again wrote the little notes and folded them into the same shapes that she did the day before. The notes were short and once secreted into her case she looked like she was paying attention to the Sensei but her eyes had that far away cast of someone deep in thought. 

Close to the end of class she came back down to earth and wrote another note 

{Shary-san, Gym class in next, stay close to Ken-san 

Carrie} 

Folding the note neatly she slid it to Shary and hoped that the girl would over look the mysteriousness of the note and take her warning to heart. Carrie would do as she did, the day before and get her to Gym class, but once there she was under Kento's aegis.


	6. Chapter Six

Raven's Wing  
Chapter 6  
Dragon Dagger  
& Yin-Yang

Shary put the note away in her bag. She would stay close to Kento since he helped her before. The boys probably wouldn't try to harass her but she didn't want to take any chances. Class ended and slowly the students began to head to other classes. Shary once more followed Carrie to the gym. From there she waved good-bye to her and headed to the locker room to change. She was one of the last ones out. As she braided her hair she searched the gym for any sign of Kento or Nikki. 

Kento and Nikki were nowhere to be found. After looking over the grounds no one knew where the pair was. For them to miss gym class it would take a miracle. The guys could only grin as the two people that had stood between them and the target girl that all of them lusted after were gone. 

They moved up to Shary and circled her like a pack of wild dogs and when the instructor saw what was going on she tried to intervene only to get restrained by two of the guys. As the circle closed in Shary started to Panic. Where was Kento? As she watched the guys circle her wide eyed she heard a strange sound and looked up just as the guys did. A Raven dropped out of the sky talons extended and made an eye level swoop. Cawing raucously it flapped to land on Shary. ~Don't worry, they are coming~ seemed to pop into Shary's mind just as Kento and Nikki burst out of the locker rooms. Madder than bulls they took out the guys around her as the Raven took off. ~Stay~ 

Nikki having done her part in distracting the guys circled close to Shary to move her out of the fight path of the whirlwind that was Kento. Once they were back in their corner of the grounds Nikki apologized. "Gomen Nasi Shary-san, Kento and I got detained in the locker rooms. Seems someone really wanted to come after you. We owe Raven big for this one." 

Shary could only nod but she clenched her braid tightly in her hand. She told herself she would not cry. She refused to show these jerks how much they scared her but it was hard. It really seemed that she was under the Raven's protection. For that she was very thankful. 

"W-What happened?" she asked quietly. "How did you guys get 'detained'?" 

"Those are questions for later, at lunch when the others can hear all of this as well. I just about bet that Kento was released at the same time as I was judging by the way we came out of the rooms. I know that one of Raven's friends released me and told me to get my ass topside to get to you. Let me tell you something. When you are told to jump by Raven or co, you go." Nikki started humming a song that seemed to follow the tempo of the fight and yet have a calming effect on the girl that hung around Kento. She only hoped that she had not missed any of her timing and that the song would help Shary calm down a little. Sure enough, as the song died away Kento wrapped up his fight. 

As Kento walked over to them the two women could see that he was regaining the control over his breathing as he walked off the exertion. "Who ever pulled that stunt is not going to like what is going to happen to them. If I am not mistaken, that was a raven sitting on you as we came out of the locker rooms." The Flames in his eyes died out as he took Shary's hand in his own and bowed over it. "Shary-san, Gomen Nasi, I told you we would be there and we failed the day after we gave our word." 

The young girl didn't know what to say. She just sat there and looked at them. They were truly sorry and genuinely concerned for her safety. She rapidly blinked her eyes so the tears wouldn't fall and shook her head softly. 

"Not your fault..." she said softly. "At least you both made it... I'm alright, just shaken up." 

Kento looked at her the concern evident in his eyes as he sat next to her with Nikki on the other side of her. The little known fact about Nikki being that when push came to shove, fight she could do and fierce was her style. She was pacifistic but even she had seen the need to train to defend herself or another if she was going to fill her part of the bargain that was struck a year ago when she moved back to Toyama. 

As they all calmed down Nikki found that she was having troubles regaining her focus and calm again after the fight as she kept spiking in her energy levels. Kento looked at her worriedly since she had never had this many problems getting settled back into her usual unflappable calm. Finally he asked, "Nikki, Am I going to have to ground you myself?" 

Nikki looked at him and realized that she was unable to focus and nodded. As they both stood up Kento looked at Shary and smiled. "Don't worry, I am not going to hurt her, but she got too much energy into her system and now she can't get her levels back down again. I was her sparring partner before and she does this occationally it makes her focus, I call it grounding." 

The girls and some of the guys that were nicer gathered around to watch the sparring match. This did not happen often and it was entertaining to watch, as they were both good. As they flipped about and struck at each other True to Kento's word he did not hurt Nikki and Nikki did regain her focus. When things clamed down class was ready to be dismissed and Kento moved back over to Shary with Nikki, who looked better for the sparring. "We'll get you to the next class and stay with you if Ryo isn't there yet k??" 

Shary just nodded. Wordlessly they all went to the locker rooms and changed. God she felt so tired right now, but she couldn't rest now. She leaned against her locker with her stuff in her locker already. She rubbed her eyes, trying to wake herself when she realized she wasn't alone in the locker room. True none of the girls were in her but she felt someone in here as well. She didn't like it one bit. 

"Who's there?" she called out. No answer. But that didn't help her any. She quickly changed and went back outside. Her friends saw that she was scared about something but she just said that she was still shaken up. She just wanted to get to class. 

Kento was fuming quietly as he and Nikki to her class. If they could be detained then they would all have to be doubly vigilant. The fact that Raven helped them this one time meant that they all owed yet another favor. Carrie would undoubtedly know about this little incident and the entire clan would be brought in. No one tied up another on duty with out some serious repercussions on the school. 

Nikki could read her long time friend like a book. He was ashamed, mad and uneasy, a difficult combination at best for her hard headed friend as he had always taken his duties seriously. She reached behind Shary to touch his shoulder to let him know that he was not the only one feeling that way. The fact that whoever was behind this mess failed meant that he would have to be very careful now. An attempt to get at Shary failed and that meant that the guardians were aware and even more vigilant. 

They came up on the class door and when they looked in found that Ryo had not arrived yet. No big deal for the moment as they knew that Ryo sometimes had to help other students on his way across the building to this class. They waited by walking into the class and letting Shary show them where she was seated. As they looked in Ryo's seat they noticed an origami Bull. 

Kento took the bull and moved off to a corner to read it. As he did he found himself getting increasingly incensed at the day's events. Today was supposed to be easy. Now Ryo was tied up in sorting out a brawl that conveniently sprung up outside of his last class. He was going to be late big time. Kento flicked his hand at Nikki and she got up to leave. Looking at Shary she smiled. "Don't worry, I am just going to find out how long Ryo's going to be with the task he is taking care of and then head to class." 

Kento gently placed his hand on Shary's shoulder as Nikki left. Looking at the door worriedly he smiled slightly as Ryo walked in a few moments later. "Ryo, Nikki update you??" Ryo nodded. 

"Sorry for making you late Kento, That was a real mess to sort out over there. Man what is going on, its like the whole school is going nuts or something." 

Kento nodded and then headed out of the room. "You'll be fine Shary, Just relax and let us handle things k??" He waved at them both and then ran off to get to his next class. 

Shary was still shaken up and it showed no matter how much she tried to hide it. She was still nervously twining the ribbon in her hands, finally settled on playing a game of cat's cradle. Turning she asked Ryo if he wanted to play. 

"You know how to play Cat's Cradle?" she asked. She had plenty of time to learn all the games made for string. Only being allowed to go to her room and school she became quiet good at it. 

"What version? You do know that there are over 8 versions on the classic cradle right??" Ryo grinned as he knew that he caught her off guard with the little fact that yes, he did know how to play, and that he knew several versions of the game. 

Shary smiled at him and cocked her head at him some. "Okay smart guy, lets see how far we can go. First one to get their fingers caught loses. Deal?" 

She was starting to trust the small group more and more. Ryo was like an older brother. Something she always wished for. At least she didn't feel sleepy right now. As they began playing she kept the ring far away from the string as she could. It was a silver ring with a small picture of a yin-yang in the center. On either side was a ting blossom. The rim around the symbol looked a tiny piece of braided rope. It was something she found in an antique store and bought immediately. It was kinda like she was meant to find this. Even since then she never took it off except when she took a shower. 

"Deal" and they started to play. Ryo started off at a lazy pace but as the game continued he stepped up the pace then the complexity of the cradle. Their fingers flashed back and forth moving the cradle up and down the steps. He was grateful that he had the manual dexterity for all of this. She was good and he would readily admit it, but he was good too, and he knew it. She wasn't going to win easily. 

Shary bit her lip and made another step. But when she pulled her hand out the ring was pulled off and it fell to the floor, and rolled away. "My ring!!" she forgot about the game and dropped down to the floor. "Nonono." She began looking for it, going under the desk and chairs for her ring. She stopped when she looked at a pair of black shoes. Looking up she found a young man she had never seen before holding her ring in his hand. She didn't know why but she felt a wave of fear hit her.


	7. Chapter Seven

Raven's Wing  
Chapter 7  
Dragon Dagger  
& Yin-Yang

Ryo couldn't place the guy and felt the fear as it hit Shary. Not liking the situation he hopped over the desks to Shary's side and pulled her up off the floor gently. "What is it that you want? If you don't want anything than give the ring back and get out of here." Ryo narrowed his eyes at the guy, he couldn't place it, but something about this guy severely jangled on his nerves. 

"I was just going to give it back to her," he said quietly. "And I can't leave. I'm the substitute teacher for this class." He was slightly taller than Ryo with pure white hair and pale blue eyes. When he turned his cold eyes on Shary his slips turned into a smirk. 

"Substitute? What happen to the sensei?" she asked softy. She did not like him. Not one bit. But she just wanted her ring back. She hid behind Ryo, holding his arm and trying hard not to be so nervous. 

Holding his hand out for the ring Ryo did not give an inch. No substitute would be this much of an ass if they had gone through the office first to find out about the students they would be teaching. The administration knew who the core group that dealt with Raven was. No one could mistake them, as they were respectful and yet place makers. "Yes...What did happen to Sensei, I spoke with her not that long ago and she was in good health and in no danger of "accidents" that I would know of." 

Calm and quiet so as not to alarm the rest of the class he realized that the class was watching them when they heard that the guy was the sub. It was always interesting when the Substitutes met Ryo; there was always a small power play as to who was in charge of the situation. Usually the substitute lost due to Ryo having known the student body and had their respect longer. This situation seemed different though; Ryo was shielding the new student and staying calm after being indirectly challenged. The energy almost crackled between them as they stood there and looked at each other calmly. 

The guy played with the ring, watching with interest as the girl looked at it with wide eyes. This mere boy, Ryo was his name, was openly challenging him. Of course he didn't know who he really was but he didn't care. He would know who he was soon enough. Shaking his hair back he flipped the ring at him. Ryo caught it in his hand. He won this round, but he would win the war. He looked at the class and walked over to the class. 

"I am the substitute for until your old sensei is well. You will address me as Sensei Damion. Now, everyone take your seats and lets get started. Now!" He slammed his hand on the desk, making everyone jump and scramble for their seats. He was not going to be a push over and he was very strict. 

Shary sat next to Ryo, playing with the ring before she slipping it back onto her finger. She immediately did not like Sensei Damion and hoped that this class would end very quickly. She took Ryo's hand and gave it a squeeze. "Ryo-chan... Domo arigato..." she said softly. 

Ryo nodded slightly as he kept an eye on the Sensei. It was agreed on that they did not like each other and for different reasons. Ryo smirked slightly through the class as when ever the Sensei made a small mistake Ryo would quietly and with complete respect to Damion's position as Sensei of the class, he would gently correct him on the mistake and then with due respect hold his peace. 

Damion was getting infuriated with this boy, but even he knew that there was nothing he could do to him since he was doing everything properly and more so by the book of manners than even he had expected. He had to sit there and teach and get embarrassed in front of the class by this boy. 

The bell rang and the class was dismissed. Ryo and Shary left in the middle of the group of students masking their exit. Walking down the halls to doors for lunch Ryo started chuckling. Ignoring the looks he was getting from Shary he indicated that the explanation would come in a few moments. 

As they exited the building he whistled sharply and the group that had already met at the tree moved towards him. Carrie looked at him sharply and asked. "Well??" 

"Operation was a complete success, not even Shary here noticed that anything was wrong or different. And I have a pretty good Idea who the brains behind this operation is." Ryo grinned at Shary's look of complete confusion and gestured towards one of the locker halls that were located in a separate building.

As they all followed it was obvious to the others that Ryo planned on revealing something to Shary. What is was they knew and Shary would have to be left in the dark until the time came for things to get put together. 

Ryo stopped at one of the closet doors and looking around gestured for Carrie to open up the classroom door that was on the other side of the hallway for a quick transfer. Once the door was open, Ryo ushered the others in and then opened the closet to pull a body out of it. As he laid the body on the ground, they could all see that it was Ryo. "Man, I hope you know how heavy your carcass is Sanada-san." 

Shary grew pale and dropped her bag on the floor. She grew very pale and wondered for a moment just what was going on. She was scared and it was very apparent in her eyes. Slowly she took a step back. She wanted so badly to just run outta the classroom and run home. Anywhere but staying in there. 

"W-what's going on??" she asked, trying to keep her voice from the verge of the hysterics. 

The walking talking Ryo looked at the Ryo on the floor and then back at Shary. "Yeah, I suppose it would look a little weird to see two of him around and in the same room. I am not Ryo. Heh, not by a long shot." Ryo knelt by the Prone Ryo and started concentrating on a mantra that seemed to resound in the air that was enclosed into the locked room. 

Carrie and Cye stepped by Shary and Kento stepped over by the Ryo that was chanting. Cye took over the explanations. "By learning and practicing the Eastern arts and Magic's and integrating them with some western magic's Nikki became what is known as a Doppelganger. She has the ability to take on the mind and soul of another and keep her own knowledge at a sub conscious level. When she left the classroom to get Ryo it was to take him out to this area that is never used anymore and use the absorption technique. Ryo Agreed to this first and to keep him safe from the interruption the absorption of the mind and soul into her body she cast a protection ward about him so that he would not die. 

We all know about it, it is just a little weird the first time you see it. Kento knew about her abilities long before we all did, as she had been a practitioner of the arts for years now. When we all found out about it we all gave her permission to call on us should she need to find out information like she did today. This last period was her open period so it was no trouble for her to just disappear." 

By the time Cye finished the explanation to Shary the process had been reversed, Nikki had fallen back against Kento and Ryo was waking up. Gasping Nikki found the words to explain one more point. "The down side to all of this is that it takes a lot of energy to do the casting and reversal, I usually require several days to recover but I can do back to back changes if necessary." 

Shary just looked at them. She was confused. Should she faint, should she just scream bloody murder? She did neither. She just nodded. "You're not the only ones with secrets," she said quietly. One thing she never trusted anyone. It they found out what she did when she had time they would surely think her crazy of something. That's what he did. "I guess--I need to go to the library." That was the only thing she could think of right now. But she wanted to be by herself for the moment. 

Carrie stopped her. "Look, we all have our secrets, you know one of mine and you know Nikki's secret. We never ever trust someone that is new unless there is a reason to. There is a reason we trust you. You need to realize that not everyone here is out to get you." 

She took a deep breath as Rowen stepped over to her. "Look, we don't mean to frighten you, but there is something about you that we are trying to protect, that new sensei in your and Ryo's class is bad news and we want to know why. I think it might have something to do with your past, but if you can't handle your past we aren't going to be able to help you. You understand what I mean??" Rowen took her hand and gently caressed it. His dark eyes looked deep into hers as he whispered, "Sometimes trust means a leap of faith. Faith that there is something or someone on the other side to catch you. We are here reaching out to you." His grasp on her hand was light and comforting, He did not want her to run since she may just run into something she wasn't ready to handle yet. He and the others did not want that. Kento looked at her worriedly as he got Ryo and Nikki seated upright so that they could watch everything. 

Shary looked at them. She wanted to trust them so much. They all really cared about her and they were there for her. Just maybe... this wouldn't end up to be just a dream. She took a deep breath. 

"My family... are dead. We were all in a car accident but I was the only one to survive. Last night I had the same nightmare about the accident. I was trapped inside, cut up pretty bad, burned in a few places and scared out of my mind." She gently pulled her hand away and rolled up a sleeve. On the underside of her forearm was an ugly scar, like something jagged and sharp raked over the skin. "I got this trying to escape, smashed my arm through the window. But I was still stuck." 

The more she talked the sharper the images became. Soon tears were running down her cheeks but she didn't care. She forced herself to continue. Saying that she felt someone pull her away just the car exploded. She didn't tell them however that she had an unusual symbol at the beginning curve of her right breast, where the stranger had placed something there. When someone asked her about her family she grew tense and very scared. 

"My family... abused me... Father always struck me. Nothing I ever did was good enough for him and he always hurt me. One time just because I went to a friend's house without his permission he beat me with a belt. Gave me a scar across my back. He said, 'men will always be and always have been the stronger gender.' He said if it wasn't for him then I would never have been born." That explained why she was terrified of the boys in all her classes and such. 

"Mother was hurt me also but not physically. She never stood up for me, never hugged me or anything. She never even smiled at me. She always thought she was better than me and told me that good little girls were suppose to be seen, not heard. She was very traditional but also very old fashioned. She would always slap me if I didn't follow tradition and she's the one who taught me to play the piano. The hard way." She paused for a moment to rub the back of her hands." That explained why she seemed almost old fashion and very traditional. 

"I had a younger brother... but he ignored me and such. Never stood up for me or anything. Every time I was beaten he would walk away. Never tried to help me. One time... I was beaten so hard by both my parents that I could not even crawl to me room. They left to go see a friend and said if I wasn't in my room by the time they got home I was going to wish I were dead. My brother... he saw me struggling and I guess took pity. He took me to my room, helped me bandage myself more or less and then stayed with me until I fell asleep. But that was it. After that he never helped me again." 

She couldn't take anymore. She was crying so hard she couldn't stop if she wanted to. "Why? Why did they hate me??" She ran out of the room, not sure where she was going but she didn't care. Tears kept running down her face and she finally ran to the only place she knew would be empty at this time. 

The music room was empty and dark. Shary tripped over some of the chains and went to the far corner. She sat there with her arms wrapped around her knees, hugging her legs to her chest tightly. She wept bitterly, dampening her skirt and her cries were softly muffled. But it did nothing to ease the pain she still felt. Emotion scar opened once more and her tears ran into them. 

Kento watched her leave and looked at his watch. "It is almost time for class. Anyone have any Idea where she would go?" 

"I know that it is Rowen's class time with her but I have a feeling that she headed for the my class instead." Sage spoke up. He had a strange feeling about this girl ever since he met her and once there had played music it was as if he understood her on another level. Ryo and the others prepared for class and did not argue with Sage. They had heard about how she had let go while immersing herself into the music. If it was a room of comfort she would most likely go there. Sager pulled his old bamboo flute out of his jacket and warmed it up with a quick set of scales before he headed out for the other building at a dead run. 

The flute had a warm calming tone to it, as Sage has used it for years after he had learned about meditation. Worn by care and love it now produced a mellow sound that was pleasing to the ears. 

As he came up tot he music department's main room he listened carefully to the sounds inside and sidestepped silently into the room. Hearing the tears of the girl he listened for the corner she was in and then sat on one of the desks after closing and locking the door for privacy. Silently he started playing a quiet melody that was haunting and sweet, He had used it often to calm his jangled nerves after a prank day and he knew that it would work on others. Closing his eyes so that he could focus on Shary and where she was, he kept playing swaying slightly in time to the music that he played. 

Shary heard the music but made no move to get up. The music seemed to reach into her and try to sooth the pain away, trying to give her comfort. Lifting her head up she rubbed at her eyes. They felt so swollen now and her nose was completely stuffed up so she found it pretty hard to breathe. Leaning her head back she let her eyes slip close, trying to calm her breathing down.


	8. Chapter Eight

Raven's Wing  
Chapter 8  
Dragon Dagger  
& Yin-Yang

Sage played for a long time before he stopped. However, he did not move from his spot nor open his eyes. Shary still sat in the corner, afraid to move. But she looked over at where she last heard the flute's music. Wiping her hands on her skirt, she released her knees and wipes her eyes once more with her sleeve. She spoke in a low voice, her throat sore from all the crying she had done. 

"Date-san... domo arigato..." She leaned back against the wall, resting her head against the wall. Her head throbbed painfully and she felt sick in her stomach. Sighing deeply she began to play with her ring once more. 

Sage left the lights off but moved quietly off the table to Shary in the corner. He did not need to see her to know that she was deeply distressed and not feeling well. As he came up to her slowly so as not to startle her he reached out and gently pulled her away from the wall. As he pulled her close he wrapped his arms around her in a loose embrace as he smoothed her hair and just held her quietly. The tears were needed and he understood it all too well. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a kleenex for her to use and lead her over to the piano bench. Sitting her down with her back to the keys he sat next to her, as she blew her nose he pulled her shoulder so that she could lean against him. 

"I know it's hard," he whispered, "But we will always be there for you. Would it be easier to talk to just one of us??" He asked softly indicating that he was willing to listen in the dark if she so chose. His soft tenor voice like the caress of his hand on her hair to console her. 

Shary leaned against him, nodding her head and sighing softly. "Gomen Date-san. It's just I was never even allowed to cry." She looked up at him, holding the Kleenex tightly in her hand. "I loved them so much... why didn't they care about me?" 

"Tears are the release of everything. Stress, frustration, pain, sorrow, and joy. Tears are good and even I cry at times. Your parents did love you. They wanted you to succeed, even though their methods were painful to watch and harder to bear up under, that was probably what they grew up with and with no other model to go after, they used the techniques that were used on them to help them raise their children." Sage was unhappy with her parents but it never showed as he spoke. 

"I'm not saying that it was right or anything. But can you see it from their side of the wall?? They wanted successful, prominent, independent children. All parents do, it is just that the methods of teaching those lessons differ from one set of parents to the next." Sage kept his voice soft as he spoke to Shary, he hoped that she understood what he meant and would keep thinking and keep asking questions. 

"I think... I understand what you mean..." she said softly. She rested her head on her shoulder again. "I just wish it didn't hurt so much..." 

Shary admitted that she liked this feeling. Being comforted as she got her emotions under control once more, it felt good somehow. It was certainly better than holding them like she always did. Sage was very different then what she first thought. In fact, he was the opposite of what she thought. But in the back of her mind she was wondering what it would feel like if someone else were comforting her right now. 

Sage continued to caress her silky hair until he felt her completely calm down and then looked down at her. "It is almost time for the past class to let out. Would you like to rehearse one of the pieces that we will be performing? Or shall we do an impromptu piece; I have a feeling that Music will help you sew things up until you can talk to Cye. Am I right??" 

"Maybe we should practice a piece for the show... Music has always been my refugee from everything." She slowly sat up and gave him a small smile. "You're a good friend, Sage." 

Sage nodded and stood up to get another music stand for his music. "I think we should site read a piece of the vocal music. I need to warm up my vocal cords for class anyways remember??" 

Moving over to get his folio of music and pulled out the easiest piece for them both to sight read and showed it to Shary. "How bout this one. I don't sing for many people that often and I really need to warm up. Think you can sight read this one??" Sage's eyes twinkled in an obvious challenge hoping that he could spark her through her love of music. 

Shary smiled and looked at him. She nodded and took the sheet music and turned to face the keys. "We'll soon find out. Just give me the word and we'll soon see how well you can sing." She took one last moment to wipe at her eyes and smoothed her hair down. "Ready when you are." 

Sage looked over the music quickly and then looked to Shary. Raising his hand into the director's position he counted out the time and gave her the downbeat. The introduction was played beautifully and students were already coming into the classroom as Sage started into the vocals of the music letting the Piano weave around his sight-reading, rising and falling with his clear tenor voice. 

The song was an old country song that had been used embellished in several operas. Accompanied with the piano only, Sage brought out the pain the country boy felt, as he had to kiss his love goodbye to face his destiny as a young boy fighting in a war. The boy knew that he was most likely not going to come back alive and so he left instructions to the valley not far from their home where he wished to be buried should he meet Kami-sama in battle. 

The girl's part was sung in the upper register of the Tenor voice where the young man's voice was the lower tenor, proving that the singer of the song had to have a good range and support to sing the song. The second part of the song was the girl singing of her loneliness and fear for her loved one's life. And then her unending sorrow as she received her young husband's dead body. 

The piano rose and fell supporting Sage through the piece and the Girl's suicide to be with her love again while she was over his grave moved all who were in the room as the piano came to a sudden and very soft fine. 

Sage had Tears in his eyes from putting all he had into the music to feel both parts and knew that he would have to practice again as he felt a little raw in the vocal chords after the song's conclusion. Bowing deeply to Shary he smiled slightly at the applause that was coming from in the room and out of the room. He had not realized that there were so many people that had heard him. Taking Shary's hand he lead her around the piano to take a bow of her own, He murmured softly to her so the others could not hear him. "You deserve to take a bow too, you were magnificent" 

Shary blushed lightly and bowed as well. She felt a little better and it showed. True the signs of her crying were still visible but they weren't bad as before and she didn't feel so sore anymore. Sage was right; music did help her feel better. In fact, the lyrics of an old song came to mind. Music is Magic. 

"Well done Sage, and Shary, You raised my expectations of you yet another notch. Ladies and Gents, I was going to have Sage demonstrate the possibilities of one of the less popular vocal ranges later on this class hour, but it seems that he beat me to the punch with that fine sight reading of that song. 

Sage blushed slightly at the praise and led Shary to her seat. "It was nothing Sensei, It's the other music I'm going to have to practice." He smiled impishly at the teacher as the old joke between them that Sage could sight-read anything in front of him worked its way to the surface. Smiling because the stress of the day had worked itself out through the efforts of the music made that day and he could tell that Shary felt better. This was good, as things still felt dark in the corner of his mind. 

{Shary-san, Again I must tell you that you were wonderful. You have a rare talent and I, for one, am glad that you use it. A small gift of my appreciation. 

Date Sage} 

Included with the note was a delicate crane sitting on a poem/pond 

Music and souls with the right words unite  
Shivering gently in the darkness or light  
They allow our minds and our hearts to take flight. 

Shary looked as Sage and blushed once more when they're eyes meet. This was one of the sweetest gifts she had gotten; next to the flower Rowen had given her yesterday. They both put her in better moods and she cradled it in her hands for fear of letting it go. In fact, she wanted to do something for them. In return for their kindness but she wasn't sure what. Looking back at the crane she had an idea. 

For the rest of the class she focused on what the sensei was saying. She was smiling softly and the feeling the music left her in was apparent in he eyes. She was slowly becoming the person she was deep inside herself. The scared little girl was slowly growing up. But from the hallway, peering into the classroom was a pair of cold eyes watching her. Then they disappeared. 

Sage could feel her mood stay up through out the class and was glad that he was able to be there for her. She was going to need them all and if they could all get close to her in one way or another then they would be one step closer to making her independent of them. 

From what he could see, if things kept up in this fashion, there would not be a whole lot that would be needed by them to get her to blossom into the powerful independent young woman that Raven had seen. Soon, she would be able to fight her own battles. Until then all seven of them were on hyper protective mode and Kento and Sage were even more so then the others. 

When the class released Sage being the gentleman he was brought up to be again, got Shary's things for her and then followed her out the door. "Shary-san? When would you like to get together for a serious practice? I mean before class isn't exactly the best time to try and properly warm the vocals and then try to sing as well as get the flute playing in with your Piano music." They were walking down the halls and Sage looked like he was deep in thought as a student picked that particular time to try and tackle Sage. 

Sage, being Sage saw it coming out of the corner of his eye and taking Shary into a classical dance pose he swung her out of the way in a fast waltz step. After getting a good look at the guy Sage grinned and let go of Shary. "Carl-san, how are things in the Kendo league for the next competition??" 

Carl shrugged and smiled. "What martial arts are you taking now Date-san?? Karate-Waltz??" 

Sage laughed and waved his hand, "You know me, Can't leave the ladies in danger." 

Carl rolled his eyes and smiled even wider. "Yeah I know, I know, your Grandfather would hang you out to dry wouldn't he." 

"Don't you forget it! Always be a gentleman to the ladies Carl, or I'll let Grandfather hear the little birds about it." Sage mock threatened his teammate and then moved Shary forward. "We're off, Catch you later!" 

Shary was still slightly smiling as she gave the young man a small wave. He and Sage talked in a positive manner, they seemed like friends. And it was confirmed that he was also in the same sport as Sage. She was caught off guard when he pulled her into the dance but her body reacted to it. She waited until they had walked out of the building and into the courtyard before she opened her mouth. 

"What you said earlier... I think it's a good idea. Don't think me too forward but maybe we could have the practice at my house. I have a piano and we wouldn't be disturbing the neighbors or anything. And everyone is invited if they want to watch." She gave me a small smile, still holding the crane in her hands. 

"An excellent idea. We can rehearse whenever you have the time. My schedule is open for quite a while until the Kendo team gets their act together enough to need the captain." Sage winked at her letting her know that he was kidding. Picking up a pebble he grinned at Shary as he lobbed it through the air and into the tree that Cye was in yesterday. Shortly after the pebble landed on the ground Cye followed and managed to land on his feet. 

Muttering to himself he grinned at Sage and Shary as they walked up. "Sage only does that cause he knows that I'll fall out of the tree and land on my feet." Looking at Sage he pinned the slightly taller blond with a look. 

"Yeah, well you at least know that you didn't take all those years of gymnastics for nothing right??" Sage shot back and the good-natured ribbing continued for a few more moments then the guys settled down. 

Sage looked at Shary and nodded. "Call me when you're ready for that rehearsal k??" And then promptly walked back into the building to get to his next class on time, leaving Cye and Shary out on the short walk that lead up to the building. 

"Too bad you're in a skirt Shary, I'd invite you up into the tree, nice and cool up there and if you wanted we could talk or what not." Cye smiled and took her by the hand to sit down on the other side of the tree away from the building. "But since you are in a skirt, and I am a gentleman, we'll just sit over here and talk about what ever. Sound ok to you??" 

"Well... you never know until you try, now do you?" she smiled at him. She stood up on the bench and reach up to a low branch. Testing it she pulled herself up and sat down on it. She kept on climbing until she had reached approximately the same spot Cye was at. She tucked her skirt neatly and crossed her legs. Then she slowly leaned back until she was hanging upside down. She giggled as she looked at him, crossing her arms over her chest to hold her shirt down. 

"You know... you take on a whole new look at things when viewing the world like this." 

"Well I guess I will just have to come up there and have a look see for myself then won't I?" Cye gave her a wicked grin as he gauged his jumps and grabbed the first limb. Knowing that it would hold him, he swung around on it until he had the momentum to flip to the next branch up. Squaring the landing on the thick branch he walked along it until it was springy enough for his liking and he jumped up and over to the branch Shary was hanging on. Turning himself around he also turned himself upside down and hooked his knees over the branch. Looking at Shary he laughed, as she did look a little silly from that perspective. 

"Amazing how it takes knowing one person to turn your world upside down ne?" Smiling he knew where he was going with the question even though it seemed random at the time. 

"I would hit you for the remark," she smiled back. "But I don't want to be known as the girl who flashed the courtyard. But you do have a point." She looked at the buildings, trying to read them upside down. "I think... maybe I know why I was meant to survive that accident..." She looked over at him. "So I could meet you and the others. Arigato, Cye-san." She gave him a small smile and looked at the few people in the courtyard. 

"Do you trust me?" The question was definitely spontaneous this time and there was a glint of mischief in his eyes as he looked at her. 

"What do you mean?" She looked at him curiously. " 'Do I trust you'? I don't understand." 

"Do you trust me? I am going to drop to the ground. Do you trust me to catch you and keep your dignity intact?" His smile promised that it would be fun for her and his eyes promised that he would do everything he said. 

Shary bit her lip and thought for a moment. She had only known him for a day but she had already told him about her painful Life. What did she have to lose? She nodded her head slightly. "Yes. I trust you." she told him softly. 

"I promise, you won't fall far. Just go with what you feel, your instincts are never wrong." Cye straitened his knees and seemed to drop strait to the ground when he curled up and spun around enough to land on his feet. Bowing to her he held his arms out to indicate that he was ready for her to drop. 

Shary looked at him for a long time and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and held her shirt tightly in her hands, slowly unhooked her knees and felt herself falling. She felt like someone catching her and clung to the person. She wasn't sure if it was Cye or not since she had her eyes closed the entire time. 

"Can I open my eyes yet?" she asked. 

The voice chuckled, "Blind faith, I like that." Cye's voice was warm and comforting as he set her upright on her feet. He kept his arm around her in case she needed to get her bearings and looked at her. "You're not as mistrusting as you think you are. You just need to be shown who you can trust in the end." 

"I guess you're right." She smiled up at him and slowly sat down. "But you know what? It was fun. Next time I climb a tree though I'm going to wear pants." She bowed to him, still smiling slightly. "Arigato, Cye-san." 

Cye bowed back grinning. "My pleasure. Shall we get going? It is almost time for school to let out and you have books to retrieve if I am not mistaken. Kento and I will be walking you home tonight if you don't mind. That way you can ask questions about all of us if you have them. Rowen, Ryo, Sage, and Nikki all agreed to let Ken and I answer what we could about everyone."


	9. Chapter Nine

Raven's Wing  
Chapter 9  
Dragon Dagger  
& Yin-Yang

"Alright." Together they walked over to where the lockers stood and they retrieved the books they needed for homework and such. Shary was feeling better and more open now. She actually trusted Cye and he didn't let her down. Part of her still didn't believe him but she pushed that voice away. Right now she was just happy that she could be herself for a change. 

The new girl's appearance didn't go unnoticed. She was happier yes, more carefree, light hearted and just looked like someone lifted a heavy burden off her shoulders. The only problem was that the boys now wanted her more than ever and there were still girls who were envious of her. She had a long way to go to gain their friendships but she didn't care. She had several people she was beginning to trust with her very life. 

Watching her with a calculating eye was the new substitute Damion. He smirked when he had seen her climb the tree and then fallen out and into that boy's arms. He began to imagine how she would look when he took her as his own. He couldn't wait for that day but for now he would have to be very cautious. He heard what happened in the gym. He had to be very careful next time. 

Kento came up to the pair and as he noticed that she was smiling openly, he figured that Cye had taught her a lesson as only he could. Walking past them he tapped her close shoulder and kept moving causing her to look the wrong direction the first time around. Cye chuckled as she turned and play smacked him in the arm. 

Kento mock pouted and nursed his arm as if she had done mortal damage to the limb then grinned at her and Cye. "So, how are things going for you both??" 

"Alright. I understand that you two will be escorting me home from now on." She always spoke in a soft tone, but no one seemed to mind that. "I'm ready to go when you are." She picked up her satchel and held the paper crane in her hand, careful not to bend it in any way. 

Kento noticed the Crane and grinned. "I'll just about bet you got a poem with that." He continued to explain. "He only does that when someone has gained his trust. Kinda like his inner circle of friends. You can ask anyone here at the school. You do not see many cranes like that because there are only two people in the school with the Manual dexterity for the small parts of the Crane. Sage and Rowen, Ryo would have the dexterity for it if he had the patience for the thin paper, but he's like me not much for the patience end of things, he got talent though and it more than makes up for it at times." 

Kento was rattling off some of the more commonly known information about his friends and once they got off the grounds of the school and into more privacy he and Cye nodded. "If you have questions about the gang, now is the best time to ask. We're better than Radio shack. You got questions, we got more answers than most people know what to do with." Kento grinned as Cye smacked him over the head playfully leaving Shary to watch them as they tussled for a few minutes to get some energy out. 

Cye came back to her and smiled. "Honestly though, we know you got questions, and we have the answers to them. So go ahead and shoot." 

Shary looked thoughtful for a moment, debating what to say and how to ask it. She wanted to know all she could about them but didn't want to seem nosey at the same time. So she tried to pick the least nosey question. "How did you all meet in the first place?" 

Kento looked at Cye to answer that one as he took up watching out for things, Cye started slowly. "Well, You could say that Kento, Rowen, Ryo, Sage and I all met in the middle of a crises time. Toyama was covered in a dark shadow and cut off from the outside world a while ago. During that time a lot of people disappeared. When they were returned none of them remembered anything. The five of us were lucky enough to have not been taken and so we were hiding. Some pretty strange things happened at that time and after the people came back and the city was rebuilt, we started finding others that either remembered or had vague memories of the event. Do you remember anything about it?" 

Cye looked at Shary his own eyes troubled by what he had seen during the times spent hiding and fighting. They all had nightmares from the event still. I just took too long for them to forget, and now they couldn't. 

Shary looked down, suddenly she felt so bad for bringing the subject up. The way Cye's eyes looked at her own reminded her of her own. He, too, had seen stuff that he had kept hidden until she brought the subject up. She vaguely remembered something... but she had passed it off as a nightmare. 

"I passed it as a nightmare. I didn't mean to bring up some bad memories. Gomen." She hunched her shoulders in and kept her eyes down. At times she wondered why she ever opened her mouth. Better to keep quiet. 

Cye Smiled slightly and Kento took the girls shoulders and rubbed them gently. "It's not that it is so bad for us anymore. It's just that Cye-chama here saw more and remembered more than we did. He always looks like that when he tells about it. Don't worry, He needs to talk more about things like that anyways." 

Cye nodded in agreement as he knew that he couldn't disagree with his best friend's pronouncement. "You have more questions and we said we would answer them. What else would you know of all of us...as a group or even the individuals?" 

"I really can't think of any right now," she said honestly. But she looked up at them and smiled. "But tomorrow I'll have more." They arrived at her home too soon and she waved to them. She watched them walk off through her window and sighed to herself. They were very kind and she trusted them all right. Soon she would trust the others as much and then she'll truly have friends. 

It had been a week and Shary felt like a new woman. She was always seen with a small smile on her face and her eyes merry. She was also seen with Carrie and her group but she trusted them with her life. It was Friday and she had decided to go home early. It was the first time she had walked home alone, and true she felt lonely but she knew she couldn't have them walking her home all the time. 

She went straight to her room and set her books on her bed. She was about to head out the door to get everything ready for dinner when someone grabbed her from behind. A hand clamped down on her mouth, preventing her from screaming and an arm went around her waist, pinning her arms to her sides. She tried kick, bite, scream or something but the person holding her was strong. 

"Shhh, it's no use struggling." a somewhat familiar voice said in her ear. A cold hand slipped under her shirt and her stomach muscles quivered under his touch. He laughed and tightened his hold on her. "I don't think so." He gripped her tighter and quickly pulled her arms behind her back. Before she could run away he had tied her wrists together tightly. She tried screaming but was slapped hard. She tried to look at him but the shadows covered his face and he was dressed in black. 

"Why are you doing this?" she asked in a whisper. She tried to back away but he forced her to her knees and then bound his ankles to her wrists. Soon she was stuck in a position on her knees. The man grabbed her face tightly and forced her mouth open. Her eyes shut tightly and then she felt something go into her mouth. It was long, somewhat hard and soft, and tasted unusual. When she opened her eyes she cried out and tried to pull back. 

The man gripped her head tightly and began thrusting his member into her mouth. He went hard and fast, practically choking her as her grabbed fistfuls of her silky soft hair. The wet, heat surrounded him completely and soon he released himself inside her. He held her mouth shut and pinched her nose close. 

Shary tried to spit it out but she couldn't. She couldn't even breathe. She felt her heart race and tried to shake loose but his hold tightened. Soon, she swallowed in her mouth and gagged. Silently she sobbed in shame. Her face was tilted up and the man kissed her roughly and gripped her hair tightly, forcing her head back. "No... Please stop..." 

But he ignored her. He bit at her neck roughly, hands grabbing her breasts roughly, causing her to cry out in pain. Even time she tried to struggle away he always slapped her. He ripped her shirt away and used the red scarf of her uniform to gag her. Kneeling before her, he gently touched her breasts barely hidden behind her bra. With a ripping sound the flimsy material was ripped away and her breasts were son tortured. He sucked on the nipples, bit her deeply and pinched them to the point of pain. Her cries of pain fueled him on and when he finally pulled away her white, skin was marred with beginning bruises, wet bite marks, and soreness. "This...is only the beginning." 

Before Shary knew what was going on she was picked up and set down on her bed. The curtains to her room had been pulled shut but from what she could tell it was starting to become dusk. Her socks and shoes were taken off, she cringed when she felt the same cold hands go up her legs, gripping her thighs tightly and making her cry in pain once more. Her skirt was torn away and she literally jumped when he grabbed her between the legs. 

He watched her struggle for a moment, squeezing her tightly and enjoyed the sounds she made. She was sacred and it seemed to suit her very well. Without moving his hand he pulled a room and it tightened on her limbs. For a moment he removed his hand only to tie another rope around her throat. Tied that down as well he had caused her arch her back sharply towards him, the rope cutting into her windpipe. Laughing softly he suckled on her breasts once more and moved his hands down her sides to her panties. 

Shary was getting light headed. The rope was cutting off her air supply and her vision was slowly blackening. She weakly twisted her wrists and felt them rubbing her skin raw. She shut her eyes tightly as her panties were torn away and whimpered when her legs were forced apart to the point of pain. But when he shoved into her with no warning and completely, she screamed as loud as she could and struggled. The rope tightened everywhere and tears ran like rivers down her face. 

"Oh yesss..." he groaned in pleasure. He was right, she was a virgin. Oh the heat, the wetness and tightness... he couldn't help but begin to thrust into her wildly. Blood trickled down onto his thighs but like when he forced his dick down her throat, it fueled him more. With an animalistic growl he pulled back only to ram back into her, going deeper and harder. His hands griped her ass tightly, causing more bruises to appear on her skin. 

Shary cried for all she was worth. She didn't know what to do right now. It seemed like forever as he kept erupting inside her over and over, she wept harder every time she felt her own body climax as well. More blood ran down from the ropes and stains her bed sheets... and her skin. With a final ram that went in so deep she felt it touched something deep in her body, they both climaxed in a flood. She screamed at the top of her lungs and fresh tears ran down her face. She whimpered loudly was he pulled out. She tried to move her head some but all the muscles in her throat were all knotted up. 

The man loosened the ropes and pushed her to the floor. She was too weak to move and just lay on the carpet, moaning in pain and trying to breath once more. Grabbing her from the back of her gag he forced her to kneel over the foot of her bed, tying her arms outstretched to either side of her to the bed posts. Kneeling behind her he parted her cheeks and shoved his blood and semen caked self into her anus. He cried out in pleasure, of the new tightness and began all over again. 

Shary began struggling all over again. She pulled at the ropes, the ropes burning in more to her skin and she felt so sick. Her body was repeatedly slammed into the low footboard of her bed, the hard wood digging into her stomach. Her tear-filled eyes opened and she blanched when she saw her once pristine, clean bed. It was coated with blood and semen. She would lie in this body without getting sick. She knew that already. She cried out when he grabbed her hair and began pulling her head back in the rhythm of his thrusts. Like before he exploded inside her countless times. Then she fairly shrieked when he shoved his hand up between her legs. 

He pumped his fist in and out, causing her to climax in an almost endless supply of her own juices. Finally he stopped and pulled out of both entrances. He left her for the moment to the bathroom, cleaning himself up. When he returned he saw that she was bleeding from her ass and down her thighs. He smirked. First he took her gag off and then untied her. Holding her up he took her over to her full-length mirror and forced her to look at herself. 

Shary always admired the way she looked. Now she felt so sicken at what she saw. Bright red blood was smeared along her thighs, matching rings around her ankles and wrists and neck. Her breasts were a combination of purple, blue, and red from so much abuse. Her eyes were puffy from tears, lips so very swollen and cut from when he kept striking her, and her cheeks were so very swollen, like she had the mumps. "No..." she said in a hoarse, weak, voice. 

"Oh yes. This is what you get. Lets see if that bird brain Raven and her foolish armored friends will protect you now. Look at yourself! You let this happen. This is your own fault. You are nothing more but a two-bit slut. And if you ever forget that... I'll be back." With another strike he backhanded her and then disappeared into the shadows. 

Shary crumpled to the floor. She spent the next hour crying and vomiting. Her room and herself was such a mess but she didn't care anymore. She dragged herself to her to the farthest corner and curled up in a tight ball. Her alarm went off to indicate that it was now 8 am, Saturday. The man that had raped her had done it for about 16 hours straight. She cried harder and vomited once more. She had completely forgotten that Sage was coming over so they could practice once more. And Sage always arrived on time. Plus, she had left the door unlocked.


	10. Chapter Ten

Raven's Wing  
Chapter 10  
Dragon Dagger  
& Yin-Yang

Sage was in a good mood for having to be up and about so early on a Saturday morning. But he was up dressed in Khakis and a dark green polo shirt. Having eaten and prepped for the day already he was well on his way to Shary's when he was hit with a wave of horror and Terror. Not having felt anything like it since his days fighting the dynasty he broke into a dead run to Shary's. He knew the others would be able to protect themselves but Shary was still just learning to live again. She was the most vulnerable of them all yet. 

Running up to the door he was thankful that he had not let up on the exercise that he had gotten in shape with. He rang the doorbell and paused a moment. This was too unusual, he could see the darkness that pervaded the house now and as he looked up at her bedroom window he noted that the curtains were drawn. ~Not good. Not good.~ Pulling out his cell phone he hit two buttons and was rewarded with an answer with in two rings. 

"Sage here, Carrie, get your ass over to Shary's now. Something isn't right." 

"Easy does it Sage, I will give you one hour. If you still need me then, call me and I will be right there with Nikki and the others. Ok??" 

"Got it. Thanks" He sharply hung up and tried the door handle and found it to be unlocked. Shary never forgot to lock her door at night. Running in he looked around. Nothing was out of place in the living room and as he checked the house over things were in their place. Yet as he drew closer to her bedroom he could feel the evil that pervaded his senses the first time he bolted over here. 

Opening the door he had to throw up the mental shielding he had developed over time against the emotional wash that threatened to overwhelm him. Looking at the blood and bodily fluids that were drying or dried he was suddenly suffused with a rage that he never felt before. He set his mind to the chants to calm himself, but he had a feeling that Shary had lost something dear to her. 

Looking over the room carefully he stepped in and looked through Shary's closet. Finding the fluffy bathrobe that she had mentioned was her favorite, he walked over to the huddled mess in the corner. "Shary?" He called to her softly. He knew that startling her would be a very bad thing right now so he moved as slow as he could and make progress. 

Gently he covered her naked body with the bathrobe and drew her up into the sitting position to better get her dressed slightly. He saw every mark left on her and felt the wounds that she took internally and emotionally through the physical contact. The better portion of his mind screamed for him to armor up and find the bastard that did this to her. But a small portion calmly told him to stay with her until the others could come. This was more than he could handle alone. The others deserved to hear about it as well, but he was not going to parade her wounds for them. No, that would only degrade her more. He would need the time to start getting her cleaned up and healed physically before he could call the others in. 

Looking her over with hard eyes he picked up her limp form and headed for the bathroom. "Shary? I need you to sit here for me. I am going to get you cleaned up." Her vacant haunted eyes scared Sage more than he cared to admit. She was in severe shock from everything that had happened to her. Now was the time to get her cleaned up. When she came out of shock she was going to be a handful as it was. 

Taking a clean washrag he filled the sink with cool water and started dabbing the dried blood away from her arms and legs. Shary wasn't going to like this but he was going to have to undress her again to finish cleaning her up. Getting her out of the robe was harder than expected as her hands clenched convulsively at the fabric in an unbreakable grip. Sage sighed and looked at her. He was going to have to do this the hard way. She was in shock and yet aware. Looking around he found more towels and put them down on the floor. Moving her to the floor he applied a pressure point technique he had learned not that long ago to put her into a deep sleep. 

She was more exhausted than she looked as she went under almost right away. Moving quickly but with the utmost care he cleaned her up. Starting at her feet he used his healing abilities to gently nudge her sleeping body to active healing. As she was cleaned up and the sink was emptied and filled several times with clean water, Sage could only make vows that he fully intended to keep. Most of the vows involved the Halo-ken and how many ways the man would be filleted with the blade and other such things before he would be allowed to die. 

Once cleaned up he saw the full extent of her injuries and was again filled with the unspeakable rage that hade claimed his reason once before. Clinging to the corner of his mind that still had reason he moved to the linen closet to get a fresh robe and using the dryer gently warmed it so that the fabric would not be too much of a shock to her already abused and bloodied system. 

He got her covered and carried her gently to another bedroom far from the room that had been demolished and laid her gently in the bed. Covering her gently he turned and stormed out of the room in silence. He again pushed the two buttons on the phone. In a deadly calm voice he closed the door to the room while he spoke. "If you do not get over here I am going to go do some collateral damage as well as start taking lives." 

Carrie got scared. Sage never sounded this calm and quiet and the fact that he never EVER did damage much less take lives was something she had every right to fear. The other fact she knew about Sage was that when he said he was going to do something, he followed through with it. No matter what happened. "We will be there in a few minutes..." She never got the chance to ask what happened to set him off when he hung up on her. This made thing twice as bad. Some one was going to die and come hell or high water Sage was going to do it in armor. 

Carrie pressed the pre-programmed sequence on her phone and 5 other phones rang. As they picked up she spoke fast and urgent. Five minutes later she had 4 Ronins and Nikki in front of her door hollering at her to get moving. While driving the two minutes to get to Shary's place, she was informed that Nikki had called Cale. "I have a feeling if Sage is that pissed off we are going to need at least him around to help us pin Halo to the ground. But I also have a feeling that if Sage is Pissed...We are going to be even more so." 

Nikki said that to make them feel better but they all knew the truth. Sage never got angry and certainly never pissed. Upset was bad enough. Rowen could only wonder how they would restrain their friend now that Shary was involved. 

They all pulled up to the house and walked in to find a completely incensed Sage wearing a hole in the rug waiting for them. Wordlessly he gestured for them to follow him up the stairs and as they did they all got a feeling that they were not going to like what they were about to see. 

Sage opened the door to Shary's room and let them look. All of them ran the gambit of emotions on their faces but only Cye was able to verbalize what was on their minds. "Good heavens, she isn't...." 

Sage shook his head. "No, sleeping last time I checked. She was in severe shock, and did not even resist the cleaning efforts I made on her person. She is safe, and for now resting cleaned up in a room on the other end of the house. Let me check on her first. I was talking to her earlier and she kinda responded. She will at least recognize me if she is awake. 

The others went back down stairs to take up vigil in the living room. They all wanted to call the Police but knowing that the Police had less of a chance to catch the fucker than they did was the only thing that stayed their hand. Besides, they all knew that Sage would kill anyone that got in his way now. 

At the door to the room Sage knocked softly and then poked his head in to peek at her to see if she had woke up yet. 

Pain, shame, violation. Those were the first things that came to her mind. Whatever Sage had did to her had helped her to sleep some. But the problem was the words that her attacker had said came and haunted her. The moment when she slowly woke up she heard the door being closed. She was too sore to move but she saw that she was not in her bedroom. No, she was in one of the guestrooms at the other side of the house. She recognized it because the room was completely done in colors of cream and pale green with only a bed, chest of drawers, hanging mirror and small table. 

She slowly brought her wrists to her face only to see healed flesh. But she could still see the rope burns that marred the skin, broken through and had caused it to start bleeding. She pulled them to her chest, whimpering some as her muscles protested at the movement. She slowly let her eyes close once more but her entire body froze when she heard the door open. 

Sage silently came in and left the door pen a crack. Still being quiet he stood at the side of her bed and looked down at her. She looked asleep but her body said other wise. He wanted to help her to hold her and protect her from everything but he would end up scaring her more. 

"Shary... are you okay? Do you need anything?" he asked softly. 

The young lady laid still for a moment, not sure on what to say. She thought hard for a long moment and slowly turned to look at him. She wanted to cry, to be comfort but at the same time she was scared. At least he was someone she knew. And still trusted. 

"Just sore. But why did it happen to me? Why did he want to hurt me so... so much?" she closed her eyes tightly. Against the tears that threatened to fall. 

"Shhh, remember what I said about the tears. Let them fall." Sage reached out and gently caressed her hair, smoothing it back away from her face before he spoke again. "The others are here, down stairs. Would you like to see them? Maybe one at a time?" Sage was concerned that this had shattered the fragile trust that had built up between her and the others. He could see in her pain-hazed eyes that she still trusted him, but he was not certain of the future with the others. Raven was less than pleased about the situation and Carrie knew it. 

They had all worked so hard with her to get her to come out and enjoy life, and now take that joy from her. Looking about the calm greens and creams of the room he waited for her to have the energy to answer whether or not she was up to seeing the others. He would stay with her while they were here even though he knew that they would not harm her, What had been done, was done and he did not know what the consequences of the actions would be for her. 

She told her body not to jerk away and calmly opened her eyes. It was like she knew what he was thinking, like empathy. She felt sorry for herself. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Slowly, but with lots of pain on her part, sat up. At one point when she couldn't sand it she grabbed onto Sage's arm for support. He helped her wordlessly, looking at her with concern. Shary looked at him and slowly nodded her head. 

"I want to see everyone else... but downstairs... please? Will you help me downstairs?" She slowly reaches up and rubbed her eyes. "I can't do it alone..." 

Sage's eyes warmed a bit as he gently played with her. "Ask and ye shall receive m'lady." And with that he picked her up. As he half struggled to be set down to walk he shook his head. "You are not well enough for that yet. Please allow me to help you to your court this way." He smiled softly as he continued the gentle tease. 

With that he let all but a light blanket slip off her as he walked towards the door. Walking down the hall and to the stars smoothly so as not to jar her already sore body he came down the stairs to see that the couch was cleared and set up for her to sit up against the pillows on one end and lay across its length. 

Settling her there the others gathered around her at enough distance that she would not feel closed in. Kento went right up to her his eyes alternating between rage and sorrow as he gently took her hand in the old familiar gesture and lightly brushed his thumb across the top of it. Laying her hand down the others did the same action with her, making it clear to her that they were all very much distressed that this had happened. 

Shary smiled weakly at everyone. She wanted to hug them all, showing how grateful she was that they all came but her body wouldn't listen to her. She was still weak and she was still scared. As she looked at them all she could waves of concern, rage, and even sorrow touch her. But she wasn't drowning in the emotions. Something was protecting her from that. Instead it was like they just settled on her skin. She leaned against the pillows, looking at her ring for a long time before talking. Her voice was still soft and weak, but it was no longer tear-stricken. 

"I'm glad you all came... this means a lot to me..." She still smiled at them and held her hands in her lap, holding them tightly. "I take it... you want to know what happened...?" 

"Only if you are up to it Shary-chan." Carrie's maternal side came out in full force when she saw the physical damage done to one of her own group. She was enraged yes, but she was also a leader of sorts and she protected them all when it was needed. Now was the time that one of their own needed that protection. "Tell us what you are comfortable telling, a little at a time if you must, we will wait and listen." 

Shary nodded silently. She didn't want to tell them but they had to know. Taking another deep breath she began. Her voice was still soft and she tried very hard to keep it from wavering. So her story began. 

"I had just come home and went to my room when he grabbed me from behind. I tried to get away. I kicked and tried to bite his hand but he kept slapping me. He forced me to my knees and tied my wrists to my ankles. Then..." her hands tightened on her robe, holding it tightly to her body. "Then he forced himself into my mouth. He held me in place and it happened so fast... then he made me swallow his-" she made a face and looked away. She was silent for a while before continuing. 

"He said it was only the beginning. As he ripped my clothes off he abused my body... I couldn't scream because he used my scarf from the uniform to gag me. He put me on the bed and then tied my neck back. I couldn't breathe. I was completely helpless... he raped me. It lasted too long. He kept coming, over and over inside me... when he finished her untied me and pushed me to the floor. But before I could get away he tied me to the foot of the bed and then raped me from behind." Tears silently ran down her face, she wrapped her around her body tightly, as if trying to protect herself from the words. 

"He forced me to look into the window. I saw what he did to me: blood smeared my thighs, I had rope burns on my wrists, ankles and throat, my chest was covered in bruises, my face was so swollen... he said This was what you got. Lets see if that bird brain Raven and her foolish armored friends will protect you now. Look at yourself! You let this happen. This is your own fault. You are nothing more but a two-bit slut. And if you ever forget that... I'll be back.' then he left." she shut hers eyes tightly but the tears found their way free. 

"He raped me... for 16 hours straight!" her voice was begging to waver but she couldn't stop. "That's all I know... I'm sorry..."


	11. Chapter Eleven

Raven's Wing  
Chapter 11  
Dragon Dagger  
& Yin-Yang

"I hate to make you think about all of this, but I have to ask you some questions." Carrie sat in front of her on the edge of the couch while Kento sat at the other end holding Shary's hand. Sage had gotten up and moved to another chair to rest after expending himself emotionally and physically, though most of his weariness stemmed from his Herculean efforts to hold his emotions in check. 

Sitting quietly through the narrative there was panoply of emotions that ran across his normally calm face. As the others listed to her they watched him warily. No one had seen him this upset and so none of them knew what to do or say. They watched him close his eyes and knew better than to disturb him now. He was trying to regain control over that which he had lost and the guys all knew that to disturb him now would mean certain death. 

Kento had taken Sage's place at the side of the couch, watching her worriedly just holding her hand when it was available to let her know that there was no way that she was alone, not now, not ever. 

Carrie continued as Nikki headed to the kitchen with a large backpack. She had heard enough and was going to start preparing a tea that would sooth the girl's jangled nerves and clear her mind for more comprehensive thought. The other things she prepared were some herbal compresses that would sooth her damaged skin and help ease the knotted muscles since she figured a Massage was out of the question by the way the Bruises patterned her skin. 

"Shary, can you tell us anything about the man, other than he was strong? He spoke to you several times, was their any part of his voice that you recognized??" 

Carrie was interrupted by the doorbell ringing almost as if the person on the outside did not want to interrupt. Rowen went to the door and spoke with the person on the other side for a few moments and then let him in. A tall, blue-haired gentleman in a suit stepped in the door and bowed to the house's occupants. "Pardon the intrusion. Please, Continue." He looked at Shary and his jaw clenched at the sight of the bruises that he could see. "Worry not Shary-chan, I am a friend of the Raven, I was called to help." 

Looking at Carrie he motioned for her to continue. Nodding Carrie did. "Was there anything about the voice you recognized??" 

Shary swallowed hard but she shook her head. "No. I mean he sounded familiar but I couldn't place where I heard his voice. The room was too dark so I couldn't see anything." She squeezed Kento's hand tighter, still holding her robe tightly. "I wish I could help you--wait. I remember something." 

That caught everyone's attention and she closed her eyes tightly, trying to remember. "Something his clothes... it was the uniforms the boy's wear at our school." She opened tear-bright eyes. "Someone at school did this to me." Now she was very scared. 

Sage stood silently and headed for the back door. Cale followed him silently knowing that the young man would do something foolish if there was no one else to help him stay in check. As they reached the small back yard Cale noticed a small dagger in Sage's hands. Not turning to face his one time nemesis Sage spoke to him. "Cale, I want you do witness this. On my blood and honor who ever did this to Shary will pay for it with his life." 

Cale was surprised that Sage of all people would swear out a blood oath over the girl. But as the Raven had told him, this girl was special somehow and they would have to protect her. As he watched the blood drip from Sage's hand to the ground he counted the three drops before he walked over to Sage to bandage the wound. It was not serious, but both Cale and Sage knew that it had to heal naturally for the Oath to be binding. 

Looking into the younger boy's eyes he read that somehow this girl had gotten to all of them. She was long in trusting them, but in the end, she did trust them and it was that trust that was barely holding her together now. Cale nodded in understanding now and made a promise to himself that he would not be far from this group until all of this was over. He knew that the assailant had hoped to drive Raven and the others away from the girl with this act of violence. But true to their individual natures, they banded together even closer with renewed vows to protect her. 

Inside Nikki finished preparing the tea and compresses, and as she walked out of the kitchen the others could smell the herbs she had used. Moving over to Shary she nudged Kento out of the way. "Shary-san, I need to see your Bruises so that I may put these compresses on them to help you heal." She also indicated that they could move to a more private area to do the bandaging. She knew that Sage had been thorough in his cleansing of her wounds, but there was always a possibility. Handing her the warm tea she gestured for her to drink up. "It will help you to relax and to think clearly." 

Shary nodded silently and held the cup in both hands. She raised it to her lips and slowly drank it all. Her throat kept threatening to close but she finally managed to drink the liquid down. She held the cup for a while and felt her body slowly loosening up. It scared her a bit but some parts of her body didn't feel so sore anymore. She was also able to think clearer yes, almost to the point of having a blank mind. 

"Arigato Nikki-san." She gave her a small smile. She leaned back into the pillows, and looked around the room. She narrowed her eyes some as she noticed someone wasn't here. "Where's Sage?" 

"Right here Shary-san." Sage walked through the kitchen doors with the stranger, Sage's emotions were better under control but no less intense than they were when he stepped out of the door. The stranger Bowed to Shary and smiled slightly. "Shary-san, Pardon my earlier rudeness in not introducing myself. But there were other things to consider." He paused and looked about and then nodded slightly. "My name is Cale, I am a friend of this group and at times an acting guardian." 

To show that he was no threat he gently picked up her hand and as he caressed it lightly he smiled. "I too have secrets child. Don't let yours overwhelm you in their shadows." As he placed her hand back next to Kento he turned to find himself a seat in the spacious living room. 

Shary nodded to him, understanding the hidden message of what he said. She looked over at Sage and gave him a small smile and squeezed Kento's hand when he picked hers up again. She looked at the compresses and decided not to put this off any longer. 

"Nikki-san... I'm ready for the compresses..." her voice was once again soft and she was a bit more relaxed. She still clenched her robe tightly to herself with her free hand but at least she didn't look like a scared rabbit anymore. The mark given to her a long time ago from her rescuer seemed to glow very faintly, as if sensing her calm and then faded out. 

Nikki looked at her long time friend. "Kento, I think we will give her some privacy. Sage, what room was she in before?" Nikki got the instructions to the room as Kento gently picked up Shary and started towards the stairs. 

As they disappeared up the stairs Sage looked at the others his violet eyes almost glowing with the contained emotions. Looking at Cye he nodded. "Cye, you and Ryo are going to have to help her the most this time around. She trusts us all and has managed to start trust Cale here. But in school she is going to have to learn those lessons all over again. Keep an eye on her, especially you Ryo. Something isn't right with that Sensei in your third period class. I want to know what it is." 

Once more she was taken to the room but this time she was awake. She sat in the middle of the bed, holding her arms out before her. There were no visible bruises but the muscles surrounding her wrists were under the skin was still sore. She looked as Nikki placed the compresses on her wrists. It felt soothing and she felt her arms relaxing. 

"You can count on us, Sage." Ryo said. Cye nodded as well. Shary was a great girl and they were going to do their best in protecting her all they could. She was just starting to blossom and someone tried to crush her. They weren't going to let that happen to her ever again. As Kento came into the room once more they all asked how the girls were. 

"They are getting her to look like a mummy, but last time I looked she was starting to relax more and the Nikki's compresses were helping. She has no visible bruises thanks to you Sage, but she is going to be a long time in healing of the mind." He thought a moment then quietly asked. 

"Did you all catch the fact that the creep that did this to her mentioned Raven and her Armored friends??" Startled Rowen nodded. "Yeah, I wonder how this guy knows about us. Or if he was calling a bluff to draw us out into the open??" 

Ryo wasted no time in pulling his cell phone out and dialing up Mia's number. He went to another room to talk to her and when he came back out he looked rather serious. "Mia said she would take a look as to what might be going on. But she sounded confused about another evil popping up now. I think Shary's hiding something that might just help us to understand why she was attacked." 

Upstairs Nikki and Shary were talking quietly of other things and Shary was even smiling slightly. Nikki did not want to take the smile away as it made Shary look quite beautiful but she had to ask the question. "Shary-san, I have to ask you. Where did that mark come from? The one that was glowing earlier??" Nikki only know about the mark as she used her second sight most of the time when she was around the guys since it told her far more about the situations she was in than her normal sight. It was because of the Second sight that she was able to see the change in Shary's aura from the glowing mark. 

"We know but we can't just go up and tell her," Sage said quietly. "Something tells me when Nikki comes back down she might have some news for us." He looked at his bandaged hand and his hand closed into a fist. He would go through with the vow so help me. And when he found the attacker, he would give him a slow and painful death. 

"This thing?" she gently pulled one of the compresses from the mark so it showed up. It wasn't very large, and the image was very faint. But right now it was standing out against her pale skin. Larger than the size of a silver dollar, it looked like a yin-yang symbol. On one side was a picture of a reptile of some sort, the other side held a cat. The cat part looked darker than the reptile. 

"The night of the accident... when I was pulled away my rescuer place something cold there. When I awoke in the hospital this mark was there. Its like a birthmark or something." She looked up at Nikki. "But it was glowing? Never did that before." She put the compress back on and wrapped a light blanket around herself. 

"I think I can answer that for you." A new female voice said at the door. Nikki's head snapped up and her eyes went wide as she stuttered. "K-Kayura-sama, When did you get here??" 

Nikki stood and bowed quickly before sitting back down by her patient. Kayura smiled slightly knowing that Nikki would probably always react like that to her more sudden entrances. Dressed in the robes of the ancient and holding the staff she entered the room looking at Shary. 

She wasn't sure to be scared or happy to see the young lady that just suddenly appeared in her room. She'd never seen her before and the way Nikki reacted she was confused. She only gave her a small bow with her head and held the blanket tighter. 

"Konichiwa." she said softly, still keeping her head down. She knew she wasn't going to harm her but her nervousness of meeting people kicked in. 

"It's ok, I don't bite." Kayura smiled in her own winning way and set the staff in the corner. She changed into slacks and a baby t and sat on the bed. "I am Kayura, Last of the Ancients. I have come here to help you all to solve the mystery around you. But first, we must get you to remember farther back than the accident. More like, the entire day of that evening. You knew that day was unusual for some reason but you could not remember why, I am here to help you remember." 

Making gestures that Nikki understood she watched the Staff float over to her. "We are going to take a trip down stairs and then we are going to take a trip into the past. The answers lie there." 

With a small flash of light the three women were standing in the middle of the living room. Shary did not hurt so much and her muscles had ceased their incessant complaining. The others only looked mildly surprised and Cale and Sage looked downright predatory. "It is time to show Shary-san what your other secret is boys and girls."


	12. Chapter Twelve

Raven's Wing  
Chapter 12  
Dragon Dagger  
& Yin-Yang

Shary looked at them all as they all stood up and were suddenly in subarmor. Kayura was in her Robes again and nodded to them to identify themselves.  
"Sage of the Halo"  
"Rowen of Strata"  
"Ryo of Wildfire"  
"Kento of Hardrock"  
"Cye of Torrent"  
"Cale of Corruption" 

As the guys finished three more voices joined in the introductions.   
"Dais of Illusion"  
"Sekmet of Venom"  
"Carrie of SilverRaven"

They all looked at Nikki and she smiled as she was already in her priestess robes. 

"You already know my secret, what you do not know is that I am the High Priestess of the Dynasty. I learned my arts well, and the fact that I have some natural abilities was what brought me to Kayura-sama's attention. She is the leader of the Dynasty and we are fortunate that she decided to help us as she can."

Shary didn't know what to say but suddenly her mind was awash with memories. People in armor battling against a dark shadow that threaten to take over the world. Five were good and four had misguided. But they all joined together and defeated the evil. Five of the armors were based on the elemental forces while the other four were the based on the four seasons. But when she heard that Carrie bore an armor it didn't seem familiar. She suddenly felt weak in the knees. And fell back on the sofa. 

"You all... you're the ones...?" she looked at them with startled eyes. But deep down her trust was still held strong although it was frail. She trusted them and always will. But right now... she was confused. 

Cye smiled, as his private hunch had been right all along. "You do remember. Almost like a bad nightmare that you wish would never have happened, but you do remember don't you." He asked her softly hoping that if she started talking she would say something that would help them all out. 

"Yes, I do... but it seems like you aren't the only one with a secret." She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. But when she opened them they were so very much lighter. An intense silver blue. The mark on her glowed also and as she removed the compress the mark had grow larger and more visible. And her voice was also different. 

"Seems that my armor has come back to me." She stood with no ease and touched the mark with her hand. Her body exploded in a flash of light and when it dimmed she stood wearing sub armor like them. But it was so very different. Slightly slimmer her colors was of black and white. But it was trimmed in silver gray. 

Shary blinked her eyes and they returned back to their dark brown. She made a soft sound and dropped to her knees, arms limp at her sides and breathing heavily. She seemed very exhausted and her eyes closed as she headed for the floor. 

Kento was faster than he looked as he caught the girl and looked at the others. "Kayura, I hope you, Nikki or Carrie knows something about this or Sage over there is going to go on a rampage." As they looked at the Halo Warrior he did indeed look like he was about to go on a firestorm rampage, as he looked at the girl in the new armor. An old memory surfaced for him and he looked from Shary to Carrie and back again. 

Cale looked at Sage was the first to react. "Sage, Breath and focus" It may have been four small words, but they succeeded in snapping Sage out of his fume as he looked at Cale and the others. Looking at Shary and Carrie again he shook his head muttering to himself. "After all this time, who would have thought I would see her again." 

"What do you mean by that?" Rowen asked carefully. No sense in having him get upset once more. 

Shary moaned softly and slowly opened her eyes. She carefully pushed herself onto sitting on her knees and then was helped up to sit on the sofa by Kento. "God... what happened to me...?" she looked at her hand and then her body that was covered by the body armor. The mark on her faintly stood out against her black chest plate, outlined in silver. And the place where she wore her silver ring it seemed attached to the armor itself. She looked at everyone and her sight settled on Carrie and Sage. 

"What's going on?" she asked quietly. 

Softly Sage started into his tale, so softly that the others had to strain to hear him at first. "I can't believe it. She's back." Looking at his hands he started to smile slightly. 

"Years ago, long before the Ronin Warriors, and before any of us were supposed to know each other there were two students at my Grandfather's dojo. Diligent and hardworking they were the top students in the class and other than the other they had no equal for their age. Sparing was almost like a dance for them, they had long since mastered the techniques and now they competed for the beauty of the art. Their forms were perfect and wordless; it was almost like they were water taken form in how they moved. Their sparring was fierce and beautiful to behold. They competed against each other and themselves for the love of what they did and to embrace the lessons that my Grandfather taught them." 

"It was not long after the two student's reached this level of perfection that I was instructed in the ways of deep meditation and the bamboo flute. All of you know that my family has known about the Halo armor for generations. No one else knew about it and yet one day when one of the students was caught in traffic, a figure in black and silver subarmor saved him from death." 

"I was one of the two top students in my Grandfather's class, the girl in the Silver and Black subarmor was the other. Shary, You were the only student that could match me in class. You did not know that I had an armor as well since I had been told to keep it quiet. But it seems that we have a mutual past." 

Sage stood up and walked over to Shary and looked deep into her eyes for the recognition that what he remembered was true. Softly and gently he placed his fingers on her temple and murmured for only the closest to hear. "I'll almost bet that you don't remember more than six or seven years ago. It was about that time you failed to show for class. I was worried and I panicked. I looked for you for months afterwards hoping that you would walk through the screens of Grandfather's dojo with an explanation. I never saw you after that. Please tell me you remember??" 

Shary didn't know what to say, but she knew. Deep down inside her, buried with low self-esteem from her family was a memory. Tentatively she reached up and brushed away the hair that covered his right eye. Staring back at her was a pair of pale, sky blue eyes tinted with lavender. The memory broke free and her eyes widened in recognition. 

"I remember... I remember everything, Sage..." she said just as softly, as if what she was saying was for his ears alone. 

"Martial arts were my refuge along with music. Your grandfather, Sensei Date-san took me in and taught me all he knew. Then he introduced me to his grandson. Our love for the art seemed to bring us together and from that moment on we helped each other out. We worked so hard, day in and out we practiced and even after we achieved the highest level we still practiced. 

I didn't find out about the armor until one day I found this unusual, black marble. It looked like it was broken in half. As I picked up and polished it with my shirt it began glowing. Suddenly another half of a marble, this time white, appeared in my hand. I put them together and it became the sub armor I'm wearing now. 

Before I could think of what happened to me I felt more than saw an accident about to happen. A traffic accident concerning someone from Sensei Date-san's classes. I reacted first, the body armor enhancing my speed and agility. Then I left, ducking into an alley and leaped up to the roof by jumping up along the walls. I got home soon after and just imagined the armor coming off me. It did and formed the strange marble. 

I never went back to the dojo because my parents found out about the classes, which they were very much against. So we moved across town and I was forced to attend a private school when they taught what the parents wanted you to learn. Provided they had the money. Then Talpa attacked. The marble disappeared and so did my memory of it. But now they both returned." 

Shary slowly stood up, taking her hand back and letting his blonde hair fall back down to cover his eye. She smiled and then hugged him tightly, her arms going around his shoulders. "I remember... everything! Gomen but my parents and school wouldn't let me get a hold of you. I kept wishing there was someway I could tell you or Sensei Date-san but there wasn't." She pulled back some and looked at him. "It's good to see you again." 

Sage started at the hug but after a split second he wrapped her into a fierce embrace not caring that everyone was staring for once. Grinning fit to split his face the challenge entered his eyes again. "What do you say we give these guys a demonstration of what made us the best in Grandfather's dojo?" Then a sly smirk entered. "Unless you let yourself get too far out of shape." The jibe was the one he used all the time back then to push her to work harder. He knew that she would go for a Long style Kata to ease back into the old lessons that they had learned so long ago. 

Shary returned the smirk and lightly punched him in the shoulder. "After we're done we're gonna see who let themselves get too far outta shape, peacock." She had always loved to call him by that awful nickname and laughed softly at his slight glare. She gave him another quick hug and jogged to the back yard. "Come on! Let's get this little match started!" She felt so happy now. True it had been a while since she had done this but one by one all the memories were surfacing. The determination, the control, and the finesse... she couldn't wait to start fighting again. 

Sage shook his head smiling and followed after her stretching lightly as he went leaving his friends behind gaping after the pair. Kento was the most shocked as he had no clue that the girl had even taken one lesson in martial arts let alone be the only one that could match Sage in competition in Date-sensei's dojo. 

Cale broke the silence with a small chuckle. "I always knew that someone was going to bring him down to earth here eventually, not surprising that it was a woman of his past." Cale kept on chuckling as he headed for the back door muttering about Peacocks under his breath. The others slowly came out of their various states of shock to follow them out to the porch. Once gathered there they saw Sage and Shary finish some stretching and then they took up positions that mirrored each other back to back. 

Sage called out, "Ready!" His face a mask of seriousness and focus.

Shary replied, "Hai!" Her face matched his in seriousness and focus. 

"Go" they called out at the same time. 

They started their movements precisely the same time, slow and flowing they moved as if they were one body their synchronization was perfect and shockingly beautiful. It was clear to everyone watching that this was a specially choreographed Kata for two people of the right skill. Movements working for and against each other it was like watching a battle of wits and wills in slow motion. 

Occationally they would make contact but they never broke the concentration of the moment, working as one they moved through the long form Kata with grace and beauty. Once the kata was finished they ended facing each other. Bowing to each other they then acknowledged the audience that was watching and then broke the face of concentration with smiles. 

"You really do remember Shary." Grinning he casually stuck his foot out and snagged hers tripping her that she fell on her rear. "Heh, that was for the old nickname that I had hoped that you would forget line walker." Using his old nickname for her because Her balance was as good as his, until he interfered of course. 

Shary waited until he had turned his attention to the audience and she stuck her own foot out. When Sage tripped and fell to the ground she couldn't help but laugh. She jumped to her feet ad held a hand out to him, and then pulled him up. "We're even. God... so good to see you again." 

"Same here. Never going to let you go." He pulled her into another tight hug, still smiling. As they both break apart and looked at their friends that had to hide the laughs behind their hands. Almost everyone had that look: wide eyed, slack jawed, totally surprised, been-hit-in-the-back-of-the-head-with-a-two-by-four. He nudged her and then gestured to the group. 

Shary nodded and smiled at her friends. "Hey guys! Never knew you made great impersonations of frogs!" She leaned against Sage and hugged his arm as he put it around her shoulders. 

Everyone closed their mouths and blinked their eyes. Ryo was the first one to say something however. "Just... we never knew that you could do that!" 

"Y-Yeah! I mean you two were perfect! I mean-" but Cye just turned red as he had a loss for words. Rowen kept opening his mouth and then closed it, making him look like a fish outta water. 

Kento was another matter though. He was so worried about Shary' injuries. "B-But how did you do that! You were hurt!" 

"Yeah well, what Nikki gave me helped me some and the armor is protecting my body." But she sighed deeply and only Sage heard her next words. "But the minute I take this off I'm going to collapse." He replied by giving her another hug. The Warlords were just as bad as they guys, not believing that Halo was able to do such a thing and then kept looking over at Shary, not believing their eyes. This made her nervous some but that was mainly it. 

Sage looked over at Carrie and Nikki and nodded to them. "So what do you two think?" 

Nikki was surprised and pleased with her new friend and a little peeved with Sage, He had not told any of them about Shary. Had he told them all they could have helped her sooner. Nodding at the look on his face though she understood that he too had tried to forget the girl and continue training. It was like he was stronger and better balanced with her around to train with him though. A true Yin and Yang in the martial Arts. 

Carrie was for once stunned into silence. Sage's moves held a beauty and grace that was not there when Shary was not there to practice with. She knew that he had since been with several partners that had been at his level, but it was as if his battle aura had some how been tied to Shary's Complimenting each other's strengths and balancing out the weaknesses found in both. Together they would be a formidable opponent. Sage and Cale were that way too in a way, but not to the same level. She could only ask one question. 

"Sage? Do you know if your Grandfather did any special rituals when you and Shary were paired for training?" Carrie looked at him directly and felt Kayura's hand on her shoulder knowing that the young ancient knew where she was going with the questioning. 

"Rituals? No, Grandfather had a sense about people, the people he trained he was even sharper about. He usually paired the complimentary folk together, but because I was the same and yet changing in how I did things in practice there was no one that could keep up with me. That is until Shary was trained. She was the complete opposite of me and yet somehow the same. When we practiced I could cut loose with the insult and jibe to keep her going when I knew she was tired. She was, is a fighter and she is so competitive that Grandfather knew that my taunts would keep her going long after she would have normally quit."


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Raven's Wing  
Chapter 13  
Dragon Dagger  
& Yin-Yang

"Most of it was boy taunting girl things, but as we got older it was more like we were taunting each other on the level for the fun of it." Sage grinned as he remembered beam training. He used to be able to beat her easily until she learned where his buttons were. To this day both of them had kept the secret of what would make him loose his cool. If the others wanted to know, they would have to earn it. 

"If you are referring to the way we balance each other out in a fight, that was a side effect of the intense training we did. Our forms melded together and soon we kind of had a sixth sense about the other, It has faded over time but it is still there, I felt it snap into place when Sage and I got ready to do the Kata, It is part of how we stay in rhythm with each other. That and years of training." Sage nodded that he too had felt the old bond come back as they moved. 

Carrie nodded at the explanation. Sometimes, when paired with the right person, the natural Battle Aura bond could be as strong if not stronger than the Battle auras that were fused with magic's. 

Shary ran her hand through her hair and slowly blinked her eyes. "And as much as I want to keep talking I think I'm going to need to get some more rest before I fell asleep on my feet." It was true. Her body was already more than worn out, her body armor giving her enough strength to stand right now. She wanted to sleep so her body could relax some more and her soul could slowly begin to heal itself. "You're all welcome to stay here." 

Dais spoke up for the Dynasty group. "If it is all the same to you. We will return to the dynasty in the evenings, but will be here during the day to help you all out in our own way." His slight smirk promised that there would be some interesting help on the way indeed. 

Ryo looked at the Mortal realm bound ronins and nodded. "We'll stay if it is no burden to you. I am not about to have what happened last night happen again. Not while I'm around." His eyes narrowed, as they all knew that Ryo being as he was, would keep that promise, one way or another. 

Cye spoke up next. "Comon guys, there is tomorrow for resting since it is still Saturday. We will all need it if things are going to get pulled together for school on Monday. That and there is much planning that we will need to do in the meantime." 

The others nodded in agreement and Kento and Sage walked Shary up to her room to let her rest while Cye took over the kitchen to make dinner and Rowen to the library. Ryo stayed out back and started practicing his katas in full armor until dinner would be called and as Shary rested Sage left Kento to watch her while he went to a quieter corner of the house to meditate. 

While all of this happened Carrie and Nikki accompanied Sekmet, and company to the portal for farewells until Monday. 

As soon as her body armor was wiled away Shary fell on the bed in the room she was using. She still kept her robe on and curled up under the blanket. Within a mater of seconds she was fast asleep. On her wrists were two bracelets with what looked like two marble attached to them. But the marbles were broken in half. These were the same ones she spoke about when she first found the armor. She smiled slightly when she remembered Kento would be watching over her and slipped further into sleep. 

Everything was pretty much quiet for the next couple of hours in the large household. The atmosphere was a little tense but not as bad as it was before when they first heard of the problems. At the school however, notes suddenly appeared on the lockers and doors everywhere. They would help in bringing the downfall of the girl's trust in everyone. Including herself. When the time came he would be waiting. 

Sunday was truly a day of rest. Carrie and Nikki cleaned up Shary's room and discarded several things that were replaceable in a Dynasty bonfire. Nikki stayed in the Dynasty for a little longer to use her magic's on the dried fluid to determine who was the cause. 

When she came back she was quiet and tired and as she did her homework Carrie found her asleep over her books. Snagging Cye she had him transfer the young priestess to the bed and as they covered her up they smiled at her. Cye was the oldest of the boys by almost six months; Carrie was older than all of them by almost another six months. Together they were the ones that usually looked after the group as a whole. Not forced, but by their natures. Both of them were caregivers and Cye being empathic to a degree never liked seeing any one hurt, especially the women in his life. 

When they all finally went to bed they set alarms to wake them all in time for school the next morning. 

As it was none of them were prepared for class when they arrived. Letters were scattered all over the place and as they picked one up to see what the announcement was they instinctively circled around Shary protectively. Something was not right here and they soon found out what it was. 

Shary was confused. She wasn't sure what was going on or what the papers said since they wouldn't let her look at it. They didn't even answer her when she asked what was wrong. Frustrated she snatched at one of the notes on the ground and read it. She immediately grew pale and she felt so numb inside. 

"Looking for an night of pleasurable fun? Wanna get laid in a matter of seconds? Then try the new girl in school. She's so easy you'll have no trouble getting into her skirt. Believe me when I say she is a good fuck." 

It was everywhere in bold, black letters. By then almost the entire school had read it and all the emotions hammered themselves into the young woman. She instantly felt the urge to vomit but instead she wrapped her arms around her stomach tightly, dropping to her knees. Struggling she block the thoughts from her mind, building a thick wall between them. She was scared beyond words now. And not to mention getting very sick from all the images she was also picking up. 

Very soon three teachers walked into the main area talking to each other. As they spotted the circle with one of the members turned in to help some one there they walked over to them. "What seems to be the problem here?" 

Kento looked up at the Sensei and almost doubled over laughing. The others looked over at the Teachers and grinned. In suits and hair tamed to a degree were Sekmet, Cale, and Dais. Nodding to them they looked at Sage who was doing his best to help Shary calm down and focus. The battle link they had helped slightly but her mind was so terrified that she was not able to focus right away. 

Taking her hand he merely ran his thumb over the back of it in the age-old gesture that they were still friends. The fact that Sage, and the others were completely outraged at the insult did not help the situation any. 

Cale and the two with him understood and added their support to the group. Carrie did her best to psychically block the minds of the school with a shield of sorts around them. But she was straining as Nikki worked to get the mantras chanted and a Talisman made in a hurry. She knew it would help only a little, but most of the damage was in the girl's mind. 

Kento just gently placed his hand on her back in a comforting gesture that he hoped she wouldn't misconstrue. They also hoped that her former bond with Sage would hold the trust line until they could find out what was going on. 

Shary closed her eyes tightly, she was breathing heavily and trying to concentrate on the words that Sage was telling her. Breathe and focus. The breathing part she was finally achieving, but the focusing was another matter. Her wall kept crashing down no matter how high or how thick she made it. She even felt a new mind try to help her block the thoughts and pictures but was getting wore out as well. Inside her heart, she could felt something stirring. An angry force wanted to be let loose but another kept it at bay. 

She squeezed the hand holding her own in a firm grip, not wanting to let go in fear of being left alone. The trust she felt between her and everyone else was slipping from her grasp but she kept struggling after it. She knew that if she ever lost the hold she would never trust anyone again. Even the bond with Sage was weakening but she was still holding onto it strongly. 

~Fight it, g-girl.~ she thought to herself. Gripping her stomach tightly with her free hand, she bowed her head down and fought back the urge to scream. After what seemed likes days to her, and probably everyone else, she loosened her grip and slowly opened her eyes. She was panting heavily but no longer were foul minds allowed to enter her own. 

Sage and Kento looked at each other worriedly. Was she going to be ok?? Sage looked into her eyes again and asked her softly using every nuance he knew to draw her out a little bit and know that the ones that encircled her would never ever harm her no matter what happened or what the provocation. 

Sage's own promise blazed brightly along the link as he let her know that all she would have to do is call for him and he would be there no matter the time. Kento and the others had made the same vow but the secondary link between Sage and Shary helped him to reach her on a different level. 

"Shary? Come on; let's get you to the music room. There is no class in there now and you look like you could use the peace time in the area I helped set up using the techniques of Feng Shui. Are you able to get up??" (Harmonizing a room by the placement of items and furniture) 

Shary weakly nodded and with his help stood on shaky legs. She leaned on him, resting her head on his shoulder and ignored all the catcalls and such from the students when they finally realized that she was there. The suggestions and insults they threw were not at all very pleasant and she could feel Sage getting upset once more. 

"Sage?" She looked up at him, waiting until he looked at her before she continued. "Let's just go to the music room. Please?" 

Nodding as he calmed himself he looked at Kento and Ryo and they followed him Kento Flanking Shary on the other side and Ryo behind her. Dais and the others moved off to class as they watched Shary and the three guys walk towards the music room. They knew if something would come up, Sage would be dead before they would be able to take Shary. The Warlords all knew something about that particular warrior that none of the students did and so Dais was the one to make sure that they took on a class in the school. Most of them were History oriented, but Cale managed to snag the Sensei that was also the guide for the Kendo club. Boy were they in for a surprise. 

Moments later after moving quickly through the hallways and letting Ryo deal with the one problem they arrived at the Music room and Sage quickly unlocked it. Ryo and Kento nodded to him and took off for their classes as Sage bustled his friend into the room so that he could lock the door to keep others out. 

Not happy with the morning already he worked with more care than usual to get Shary to the Piano. Knowing that she would eventually play he grabbed his flute and sat next to her letting her rest against him. The natural shielding of the room helped them both as Sage's agitation eased in response to Shary's need to get settled again. "Talk to me Shary, Please?? I wan to help you but I can't if I do not know what it is you need help with." 

She shut her eyes tightly. She couldn't tell him how she felt but if it was the only way to help her then she had to. Besides, he wanted to help her. Not harm her. She opened her eyes slowly once more and stared at the black and white keys of the piano. 

"The flyers around the school... what happened on Friday--it came rushing back to me. And I was able to read what everyone was thinking." She rubbed at her eyes, feeling the tears begin to bead up. "Everyone thinks I'm a slut now... the girls despise me... the guys think I'm easy... I could even see what they were thinking...! It hurt me... I wanted nothing more that to make friends but now--they won't come near me unless they can help it. I can't be alone! I can't!" With a small cry she hugged him tightly, burying her face in his chest and clinging to him tightly. "Please Sage... don't leave me... I need you and the others so much... You're my only family now..." 

Sage wrapped his arms around her gently stroking her hair in the old familiar gesture. "Shhhhh, Easy Shary, We won't leave you, you know that. You are one of us and we never leave our own. Remember the tears and let them fall. Right now you need them. Let the tears fall, quit trying to be so brave, let the tears cleanse your mind and soul as they release you. Let them help you. I am the only one to hear them so let them fall." 

His calm and quiet voice encouraged her to let herself have the release her body so desperately needed and his body and mind promised her that he would be the only one to hear her and that he would understand. 

Shary clung to him tightly, crying softly as she lost herself in the flood of tears. It was as if he was her lifesaver and she was not about to let him go now or ever. After a while the tears slowly eased up until they finally stopped but she still held him tightly. Taking a shaky breath she continued to rest her head on his chest, arms still hugging him tightly. She smiled very faintly however when she heard something.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Raven's Wing  
Chapter 14  
Dragon Dagger  
& Yin-Yang

"Sage... I can hear your heart... sounds like music..." she sighed a bit shakily and let her eyes drift close, liking the way it felt as he stroked her hair. 

Sage smiled as he stayed calm. She was starting to calm already and her mind was indeed clearer for the release. All he did was slip in and strengthen her reactions to thoughts she wanted to block so it would not take as long for her to get her mind back under control should that reaction happen again. 

Content to sit where he was he continued to stroke her hair calmingly as he started humming a wordless tune. He knew his heart beat and as he matched it to his pulse he let it echo through his chest in a calming rumble of tone that was soft enough for the two of them to hear. 

It was an old song that he could barely remember his mother humming to him on the nights when he was troubled. It had never failed to comfort and calm him into a low doze and using the same vocal tricks he hoped that he would be able to comfort and help her to relax a bit. 

He cared for her deeply as a friend and battle partner, but he knew of one other person who had given his heart completely to the girl that was resting against him with her arms wrapped around him like a pair of steel bands. That friend would wait for an eternity for her as he had seen him have the patience Sage himself often had. But now was not the time and they all knew it. Sage cleared his mind again and focused on his friend whom he had at one time thought he would never see again. Now here she was and more messed up now that she was when they first met. 

Training would begin again and this time the mind would grow and thrive in strength so that nothing would happen to her that she did not wish for. 

Shary was truly content right now. She didn't want to leave the room or her old friend's arms, but with a heavy heart she knew that would never happen. At least for the moment she would be safe and happy. His voice seemed to fill in some holes in her spirit that she never thought would ever heal again. Curling up against him more she sighed and let her eyes slip completely close. The tears had taken their toll on her as had trying to block out all the foul thoughts and images. As she was slowly falling asleep she remembered how her rescuer had held her after he saved her and imagined how it would feel if the man she was starting to like held her in his arms. But that would take some time to get used to. Before she drifted completely to sleep she whispered something to her friend. 

"Domo arigato Sage-san..." 

Sage heard the thanks and smiled as he felt her completely relax into sleep. She was not ready for the day and with no one else able to leave the school he gently picked her up and headed for the window. Thankful for the training that he had gone through he hopped up into the sill and dropped the three feet to the ground. 

Landing deep to take the shock out of the landing so as not to disturb his sleeping charge he looked around and then ran of at an even pace towards her house. Her bag settled in her lap and his on his back he moved in the smooth pace he had been taught and was pleased when she did not wake up. As he took her home her managed to get her bag open and took out her house keys. There was no way he was going to wake her up now. She was sleeping peacefully and the one that woke her up wasn't going to be him. 

He made it to her house without incident and got her inside. Moving quietly up the stairs he kicked the covers off the bed and laid her in it. Covering her up clothes and all he pulled up a chair next to the bed to watch her and make sure that when she did wake, she would not be alone. 

Shary merely curled up in he soft blankets, wrapping them around her tightly. The sheets felt cool and soothing as she slipped further into sleep. She was so deep in her sleep she never heard the phone ring. As Sage picked it up he heard one of their friend's voice on the other end. 

"Mannor Residence." Sage answered. Listening for a moment he nodded slightly. "She's here. She fell asleep from exhaustion and I brought her home." He waited for the response and nodded again. "Right, we'll be here when Cye gets here. Right, Good bye." 

Hanging up the phone he was glad that the others had noticed that he was not in the school any more. This made it easier for them to cover for him. Sitting back down next to Shary he sighed. He wanted so much to push her like the old days. Present a challenge and get her to beat it herself. But it wasn't going to happen that way this time. It was going to take a little different strategy to kick this mess. And Shary was going to have to do most of it on her own. 

It was a while and Shary slowly opened her eyes. She pulled her arms out from under the blanket and carefully stretched them before her. Laying them back down she rolled onto her side and smiled up at the blonde. She felt safe when she was with him, like in the past. He was always the brother she wished she had. 

"You stayed with me?" she asked quietly. 

Sage smiled at his long time friend and nodded slightly, "You realize Grandfather would have killed me if he ever found out that I brought you home after something like that and didn't stay." They remembered the rule that was banged into their heads at an early age. You never ever left your partner alone. No matter what they said. If there was trouble you stayed with them until the problem was solved. 

"Are feeling better?" Sage was truly worried. Behind the worry lay a far more dangerous emotion. One that would cause trouble if he did not get balanced again soon. 

Shary nodded her head silently and sat up. Looking at him calmly she reached up to softly brush is hair aside and their eyes locked. She could feel that something was wrong with him and she wanted to help. Resting her hand on his cheek she touched his forehead with her own. 

"You need to calm down," she softly told him. "All this anger... it isn't healthy." She slowly let her eyes close still touching his forehead with her own. 

Sighing softly he let his own eyes close as he felt her forehead meet his as they had often done after a particularly troubled meditation lesson. "Sorry, I am still a little bit out of balance with your return. I learned to work with the guys as a team, and yet I never forgot about you. I just don't know if I will find the balance between working with you again and working with the others. I know that I can work with you again, that was proven when we did that Kata; you never lost your trust in me. Just temporarily misplaced it when you forgot grandfather and the rest of us." 

Sage started automatically into the breathing exercises then to start the calming that had was always able to do with her around. As a youth he was temperamental and wild sometimes. He would listen to his mother and even though they were suggestions, he would listen to Shary. Shary was one of the few who could snap him out of a rage or even an irritation with the mere suggestion that they do some meditation exercises together. 

In return he got her to be more forceful and confident in her lessons. She was soon a force to be reckoned with in the dojo even with out Sage's presence there to encourage her. They were yin and yang and not many people would get between them willingly when they argued. When they did fight it was like a brother and sister quarrel that had the added bonus of a martial arts exhibition mixed in. No one but grandfather had been willing to get in the middle of those two. They never hurt each other much but afterward they would go out into the trees to the two rocks they had chosen and they would often meditate for hours in perfect synch. 

Her suggestion that he needed to calm himself again, triggered the automatic response they had developed years ago. She would suggest that he needed to calm down and he would automatically start preparations of the mind and body for the cleansing meditation rituals they always did. 

She smiled softly as she felt him begin to calm down. Still keeping in touch with him she slowly began to begin the meditation as well. Soon she and Sage were completely in sync with each other. Just like before they blended well with each other. Soon she could feel that he had relaxed as much a he could for today and slowly pulled away. But before she drew away completely she pressed a soft kiss on his forehead and looked at him as he looked at her in surprise. 

"Glad to see you relax once more Sage-san." She still spoke softly to him, glad that he was feeling better. 

"Probably a good thing for the others that I listen to you." He smiled referring to their recent performance. Thinking a moment he smiled at her. "You hungry? I've gotten better in the kitchen and I'd keep it simple." 

"Okay. Mind if I join you? We can talk some more about old times." She returned the smile and carefully stood up from the bed. 

Sage nodded and walked with her down the stairs towards the kitchen area. Dropping her off at the kitchen table he set about making a light lunch of sandwiches and salad. "After you left, the entire dojo was affected. I had to learn to rebalance on my own, Grandfather missed you, not that he would have admitted it but he knew what you meant to him and me. There was a spark to the place that kind of dimmed after it was clear that you weren't coming back. The other students had a harder time dealing with me and Grandfather was shorter than ever with them. They missed our mock fights and our sparring. It was like a highlight for them." 

Sage sighed as he served them and then continued on. "After that the Dynasty invaded and there was no more time for thinking, At least to the others. Kento and Ryo were all for action and Rowen was a mix of us all. He was thinking and acting at the same time. Cye, well Cye being Cye, was there for everyone in more ways than one. Usually he was the ones to beat our heads in when we got too insensitive about Ryo's problems. We learned to work as a team thanks to Mia, Yulie and the Ancient. With out them we would not be here." Sage's eyes took on a troubled cast as he told the story of everything that she had not really seen. 

"The dynasty came back for another round and the second time we were able to defeat them for good. Afterwards we stayed together, it wasn't easy for us. We were heroes and we had seen everything that had gone on during the fight with the Dynasty. No one else really remembered, or so we had thought. 

When we returned to school at Han'a we were definitely outsiders. No one had seen a group of five so different yet no one group was as tight as we were. We didn't trust anyone and we all got into trouble at one point or another because we did things differently. None of us put up with the bullies in the school and we all held back when turning them around and kicking their asses. Most of them straitened out once it was made clear that if you messed with one of us then you would mess with all of us." 

Sage shook his head smiling as he remembered the day the poor suckers decided that Rowen would make an easy target. The bookworm and quiet brain of the five his build did not seem like any thing they couldn't handle. They swiped his pack in the hallway and knocked into him from behind. Rowen being at home in the air did a front handspring to stay on his feet. Smiling at them none of them knew what he was capable of, had any of the other guys seen his smile they would have just backed off and start laughing. 

Rowen took up a loose stance and told them to give his books back. Not thinking he could do anything to them and that he was bluffing with the stance they taunted and jeered at him until one of them came with in strike range. Rowen moved fast as he knocked the group around, after he had knocked then about the halls a bit he took his books back and left them to deal with their minor injuries. 

"After a while this girl with black hair and a penchance for pranks introduced herself to us. After a while we all began to trust her when she blew that trust wide open on all of us. After school one day she came up to us and invited us all over to her place. We agreed tentatively and as we got there she showed us that she was the SilverRaven armor bearer. Carrie had come across her armor after hearing of her family's history with the ninja clans of the old age. She had stayed in the Mortal realm during Talpa's second attack on us to try to get our armors. Having done so she protected the people here. Mia and Yulie did not know it at the time but they were watched by her as well."


	15. Chapter Fifteen

Raven's Wing  
Chapter 15  
Dragon Dagger  
& Yin-Yang

Sage had finished his first sandwich and took another one then continued his narrative. "We trusted her more than ever now when Kento got the shock of his life when Nikki walked back into the school. From what we knew of them they had been really good friends in elementary school and she had to leave Japan to continue the studies she was pursuing. He never told us about her studies but it soon became clear that she was different and we welcomed her into our group. 

Carrie had a sixth sense about people like Nikki. What surprised all of us almost a year later was that Nikki finally trusted us enough to tell us that she was the high priestess in the Dynasty. Her abilities and our own unique grouping as we were we decided that we would keep the school on an even keel until we graduated. Now that is about a year away and we meet you. I did not recognize you at all, you had changed so much." 

Looking at her directly he asked her the question that had burned in his mind since he found out that this was his long lost friend. "Shary, what happened after you left. I know you were sent to a creep private school, but what all happened to make you change from the strong unbeatable person I used to know??" 

Shary took a long time to think about what to say as she ate her sandwich slowly. She took a deep breath and sent her food on the table and looked up at him. She rubbed her hands on her skirt and began her story. 

"I guess you can say that when I was sent to the school everything changed. It was an all girl school but they were all the snobbish kind. Rich girls who talked about what they own and who they knew. It didn't bother me that I didn't get along with them but that's went I heard rumors that my parents gave my teachers special instructions on how I was to be taught. 

"Aside from all the classes we had to take I was allowed no self-defense class what-so-ever and the only sport they would let us play was cricket. I was starting to lose my cool very quickly and the girls always loved to see how far they could get to me before I snapped. Well, one day it got so bad I actually chased a girl around the field with a cricket stick. That's when they started their 'treatments' on me." 

She shuddered lightly and clasped her hands together. "For everything fight I was in, my fault or not they would take me to the back room and whip me. They had my parents' permission Sage." She looked away as tears build up once more. "I couldn't do anything about it. Complaining to my parents didn't help me at all and there were no phones or anything so I couldn't call. I even have the scar where they repeatedly struck me with a whip. It took three whole weeks for it to heal over and for me to bend over without feeling pain." 

She paused for a moment to wipe at her eyes and rubbed her sweaty palms against her skirt again. "When the Dynasty attacked I was captured like everyone else. I tried to fight back but that seemed to make me stand out more. These... spirits, Nether Spirits, said something about me having this hidden power and tried everything for me to unleash it. It only surfaced when I was too scared to fight. They somehow read how my parents and teachers abused me and magnified it. It got so bad once that I snapped and something happened. I really don't know what it was but the next thing I know I wake up and I'm a scared little girl with no one to care for me." 

She rested her elbows on the table and buried her hands in her hair. "When it was all over the Dynasty just seemed like a very bad nightmare but I was still broken. At school everything changed. I became very withdrawn and when I was corned the weirdest things happened. Once in the restrooms it got flooded but I stayed completely dry. In the kitchen the stove exploded and the girls who had corned me got minor burns. I wasn't hurt at all and I was standing right in front of the stove when it happened. The school was finally shut down when I was whipped once. The ground shook and half the school collapsed. I was home schooled." 

Scratching her head she leaned back in the chair and rested her hands in her lap. Nervously she brushed her hair away from her face and continued once more. "One night... the entire family was invited to a fancy dinner by one of my dad's co-workers. He was trying to pair me off with his obnoxious son who also leered at me. Unfortunately when he tried to advance on me it seemed that all the knives in the kitchen flew out and pinned him to the wall. Naturally I was to blame and we drove home. 

"The rain was pouring like a monsoon and it was so dark that you couldn't see a foot in front of your nose. I really don't know how it happened but one minute we're driving and the next... I was screaming for help. The car had tipped over and crushed the frame completely. Both mom and dad were killed instantly, necks broken, and my brother broke his back. He wasn't wearing his seat belt. I was cold, wet, in pain and scared out of my mind. That's when I got this." Pulls the collar of her shirt down some to show him the weird symbol on her chest. 

"Someone must've pulled me away from the car just as it exploded. I fell into hysterics and he placed his hand here. I suddenly felt calm and safe. I must've drifted to sleep 'cuz next time I woke up I was in the hospital. Later on the court announced I was the sole heir of my family's money and kept it in a trust fund. I won't be able to touch it until I turn 21, but they gave me the mansion here," waves her hand to indicate the house and furniture, "Since I refused to live with a foster family. And I transferred to Han-a High." She let out a deep sigh and looked at her hands, nervously playing with her ring. 

Sage reached across the table and took one of her hands in his larger hand. "You ran into Carrie-san and that was the beginning of what we are now. Shary, Would you be interested in starting the training again that we used to do. I know that it is intense and such, but it will probably be the best thing to help you regain your mental focus and all around strength back. Mental, Spiritual and Physical. You remember Grandfather told us about that. Now I want to help you regain that strength." 

Sage looked at her carefully as he made his proposal. This was a gamble for them both. If she felt she needed the training she knew that Sage wouldn't let up on her to make it easy. No, they would go back to the old days of being up before the sun most days to practice then go to school, come home, do homework meditate for a few hours and practice until dark. Eating would be when ever they changed activities but never more than they needed to keep them going. They were both getting soft mentally and though Sage hated to admit it. This problem with Shary was only emphasizing how much he had neglected his training. 

Shary bit her lip, remembering how hard it was. But... it also gave her a sense of satisfaction. She did something that her family could never do and thought that she couldn't either. Well, once more she was going to prove them wrong. She looked at their hands, giving his hand a squeeze and meeting his eyes. She smiled and nodded. 

"Hai. Anything to be the person I once was. The person that I always hoped to become. But one thing, I want to practice using the armor as well." She lost the smile and looked thoughtful. "I don't know why but something tells me were all going to be using the full extent of our armors in the final battle." Then she blinked some and laughed softly. "Listen to me! I sound like I have foresight or something!" 

"You might. I mean we all have limited telepathy through our armors, but some of us, like Cye are naturally empathic. Myself my telempathy takes a healers bend. I don't think it would be too unusual given what you told me about your treatment in the Dynasty that they may have unlocked a small amount of Psionic ability." Sage motioned for her to eat some more if they wanted to start training. 

"We will train in armor but that is only after we have a day or two of strait training. I know that you can take me on out of armor and you would be a challenge for me when I am in my sub-armor. However they others fight differently and we will need to get the rust out of your system and get us working like a team again. Then when we start training with the others we'll show them what Yin and Yang can do in a fight." Grinning at her he knew that he had her attention as he used their old sparring names. He was Yin, Male, and Warrior of the air, light and things above. She was Yang, Darker than her counterpart Female, warrior of the waters earth and all things below. 

Once she was trained fully again back to the old standard they would let her and Cale have it out to see what she could do against the warrior of Darkness. Sage knew that because they balanced each other they would not hurt each other in a fight. But pit dark against the darkness and there might be some interesting side effects. They had to know how well she would work with all members of the group. This was the best way to do it. 

She nodded and soon finished her sandwich. She couldn't wait to get started and she could feel her body slowly getting better. Some more time and lots of patience and practice and she would be ready. They both heard the doorbell and she cast a quizzical glance at his direction. 

"It's probably Cye. I'm going to let him in." He gave her a smile and got up to answer the door. Shary took the dishes into the kitchen and let them soak in the sink. Then she when to the foyer as well. 

Standing just inside the door Sage had let Cye in and they were talking quietly. Something had happened at the school and Carrie had Nikki and Ryo at her house in a protective circle. Nikki was healing Ryo if the multiple knife wounds he had taken at the school. A fight had broken out between two previously peaceful gangs. Living by a code of honor they had never fought at school to prevent the injury of an innocent bystander. 

Today someone or something caused a fight of mammoth proportions to break out between the two and when Ryo tried to mediate the dispute when both sides openly attacked him. Kento had waded into the fight tossing the boys about, clearing the path for Carrie and the others to get to him. He had been severely messed up and Carrie got Nikki and Ryo released into Cale's custody to get them to her place for the healing. 

Sage was pissed all over again as he looked at Cye intently through the telling. His battle aura flared and the thin blade that he kept hidden in his shirtsleeve had slid out and into his hand. Cye knew there wasn't anything he could do to stop his friend, but he looked at Shary hoping that there was something in their past that would help him keep their friend from going on a killing spree of two gangs. 

Shary wordlessly walked over to her friend's side and reached for the hand that held the blade. She wrapped both her hands around his but made no move to take the blade from him. That would just make him angrier. Carefully she extended herself through the bond they held and tried to sooth his anger. He pulled away from her some at first but reluctantly began to calm down. She didn't quench the anger completely though. That wouldn't be just. Instead she held them down so she he could think on the words she had to say. 

"Sage-san, listen to me before you decide to act on your own." Her voice was soothing and calmly. She kept her eyes on him although he didn't look at her. "Right now you want to get the gangs for hurting Ryo-san because he interfered in their war. But this was not their fault. Someone provoked them into this and our friend was hurt trying to settle it. We don't even know who could have done such a thing. It's better if we wait and then we can go out and make him pay." 

Still moving slowly she let his hand go and gently cupped his face, turning him to look at her. Tenderly she brushed his hair back and looked deep into his eyes. She kept the gaze, still projecting calmness and understanding through the link. 

"Right now... our friend's welfare is more important. Now... let's go and see how Ryo-san is doing, alright?" She took her hands away and held his hands once more. She gave him a look of pleading to go with them. 

Sage moved his sword hand out of hers and turned the blade around so that it was laying flat against his arm and moved Shary away from him closing his eyes. "I know you mean well, but whomever is doing this will pay, and pay dearly. Ryo is my friend and I don't care who started it, they will all learn the lesson." He looked at her again the look on her face having not changed. 

"Look, I made a promise that I would keep you safe, that was recently. When I first met the guys I made a promise then that I would make sure that nothing like this would happen to them and I am willing to bet that they made the same promise too. I will see Ryo, then I am going to the school to find out who started this. Because right now I want answers!" His anger was on the rise again but this time it was controlled. Ryo did come first and maybe he could channel some of the extra energy into helping him to heal. 

"That's all I'm asking for. C'mon." She looked over at Cye and nodded. "I think we're ready now. Let's go." She put her shoes on and grabbed her keys from the little table. Within a few minutes they were on their way to their friend's place. 

Shary looked over at Sage as they walked and sighed softly. Nothing she could do or say right now would change his mind. But in no way was she going to let him go to the school on his own. They are partners. And partners do not leave each other. And whether she wasn't ready to fight just yet... she was going to be a head start. No time like the present. 

Sage was jumpy though he kept himself loose and outwardly calm. There were too many traumas happening to their group recently to be a coincidence. He wanted to know what Ryo knew about the fight. Things were starting to happen and it all had a bad odor to it. 

They made their way to Carrie's house and were pleasantly surprised when Carrie's mother answered the door. "Come in you guys. Carrie was expecting you sometime this afternoon and called to tell me that you would be coming." 

Cye nudged the sullen Sage through the door and smiled. "Arigato Deed-san. We'll just head up the stairs to see how Ryo is doing. Nikki is with him right??" 

Mrs. Deed nodded and smiled slightly. After she got used to her daughter having a mystical armor and having to fight to save the world all the time, she had gotten used to the idea that there were other realms, with people in them that wanted to conquer. She had also gotten used to seeing the whole Raven Flock at times in their small house. Carrie had some good steady friends. 

They had armor too and one was a priestess, but that didn't matter to her. Carrie growing up and little by little even though it hurt, she was letting go of the little girl she knew so that Carrie could grow up to be the woman she wanted to be. 

It was a little surprising to see Nikki at the front door with Ryo in her arms bleeding all over the place but she just let Nikki in and cleared a spot on Carries floor for the girl to work. She knew about Nikki and if she needed something to save her friends, she would try to help the girl in any way possible. 

Shary also nodded Carrie's mother and gentle nudged Sage ahead of her. Even thought the brief contact she felt from him unease. Someone was trying to break the group up one by one in some twisted game. She hated it already. Something told her the prize they were aiming for were the armors of everyone. And something else. Pushing the thought away for now she followed them up the stairs to Carrie's room.


	16. Chapter Sixteen

Raven's Wing  
Chapter 16  
Dragon Dagger  
& Yin-Yang

Everyone looked up at them as they entered and they seemed to breath a bit easier. Sage knelt next to Ryo's side, laying his hand on his and began to slowly speed up his recovery. Cye began to talk to Nikki, probably about how bad the wounds really were and how he was doing. Shary couldn't tell how bad it was but it did not look good. His normally tanned skin was slightly pale, indicating some blood loss. She leaned against the wall, looking at the matching silver bands on her wrists. On her right wrist was the broken half of a marble sized ball. It was white while the other was a black. No one noticed them because her sleeves barely hid them. 

Shary was startled out of her examination when she heard Sage's voice call to her. "I am going to need Yang to balance him out after this. His energy levels are wiped and if I restore them completely there is the chance that the Halo armor energies could corrupt him." What he wasn't saying was that if that happened Ryo would be completely unable to use the Wildfire armor in battle. He would not be able to even get into sub-armor and that would mean that the Wildfire armor would be lost to them unless they were able to balance the energies going into him to counteract the blood loss. A balance of more than one energy would mean that the armor couldn't be corrupted. 

Cye nodded slightly to her that he agreed that she was the best choice. Nikki was exhausted from the effort of getting him here and then channeling the mantras the started and eased on the healing. Cye couldn't do it at the time because for healing the wildfire bearer, Fire and water did not mix. Her's was the most neutral armor of the ones here and Sage knew that light also produced heat. That heat would charge the Wildfire's ability to heal the bearer. Shary was needed to filter the energy and balance it so that they would not corrupt each other. 

"Okay." She went over and knelt on the other side of Ryo. She laid her hand on his own and let her eyes closed. Instinctively she opened herself up and began the delicate process of helping their friend healed up. Something within her body churned in up and knew what to do. She held his hand in both her own this time and opened her eyes to mere slits. Fire. That's what his body needed. That's what Wildfire needed also. And that's what she would do to help him. The bands on her wrists started to warm up and the heat traveled from her hands into Ryo's and spread through out his body. She was very careful though not to give him too much and just what he needed. Vaguely in her mind's eye she saw the Armor of Fire get stronger and the bearer halfway towards recovering. 

~Ease off a little now.~ the thought invaded her mind. Sage was looking through her with his one eye. He was in a full healing trance he wasn't seeing with his normal site. In bonding with the Halo armor he gained a second site that allowed him to see the healing energies of an individual. 

Shary merely nodded and eased up some. Sage was the expert here healer here. She still kept contact and the warmth going. She continued to look down at Ryo, watching as his color slowly came back into his skin. She merely waited until Sage would tell her to stop and then pull out. 

Sage chuckled softly in her mind ~Not an expert, most of it is feeling where the real hurt is. Find that and things will work a lot faster.~ He shielded the area and cut her off from Ryo knowing that she would be weakened by the healing effort. He knew that he would be a little weak, but he was used to these efforts, and Nikki had already done most of the work for them in getting him stabilized. 

Now all he had to do was keep Shary in one piece as he went to the school, as he knew that she would want to stay with him. For everyone in that school's sake, he hoped that their old hold and reactions still worked. 

Shary felt the link being cut and slowly drew back. She closed her eyes once more and sat back, sighing heavily. She opened her eyes and weakly smiled at everyone. "All done. Hopefully he'll wake up soon." Then she added to Sage's mind alone. ~Up for a little company back to the school? There's no way I'm letting you go by yourself.~ 

~Figures.~ 

"Care..ful Sage. The guy behind this is a master manipulator" Sage looked down to see his friend conscious and for once, making sense right away. Ryo knew Sage too well; he knew that his friend was about to go head hunting to find out what happened. If someone got hurt, Ryo would only hope it was the one that got him into this mess. "Sage don't let him get to you. That was how he got me between those two gangs. Couldn't see him but man he burns me up!" Ryo was still too weak to get up but his color improved once it was made clear that once the healing was complete on its own, the only injury left would be the one to the Warrior's pride. 

"Calm down, Ryo-san." She gently brushed his hair from his forehead. "You need to rest up before you can fight again." 

"Ryo," Cye softly spoke up. "You said that this guy who caused the fights is a manuipulator. Can you tell us anything us that could help?" 

"Not really man. The voice was distorted and I couldn't tell where he was comin' from. He may or may not be weaker than Talpa, but he's ten times more annoying. Somehow I think Dais would have fun playing games with this guy." Ryo closed his eyes and smiled slightly. "Something happens, you let me know. I've come back from worse, we all have so keep it tight bro." 

Sage smiled and nodded to Ryo as he stood up. Offering his hand to Shary to giver her a hand up from the floor nodded to them all and walked out of the door. Purpose in his eyes he made quick headway to the school. 

They didn't say a word the entire walk over to the school but they didn't have anything to say. Everyone was already gone but for some reasons the gates were still open. A wind blew by, ruffling their clothes up some and blew their hair into their eyes. Shary looked around, holding her hair back. 

"Where should we look first?" she asked quietly. 

"We look for the others. They're still here." Sage let his blade slide out of its sleeve and moved into the school grounds. His senses were side open and his posture was defensive as he moved silently about the outer grounds. 

"Ryo said he likes to play games. So lets play a game Shary. Hide and Seek. First one we want to find is Carrie, if I know the guys they're either on their way out of where ever they are to us or they knew that we are here and their playing games of their own. Stay close, I found you again and I am not about to lose you again!" 

Shary just nodded her head. ~You'll never lose me.~ she said simply. They began to slowly walk around the school grounds, searching everywhere for their friends. She let her senses open as well, feeling the bands on her wrists growing slightly warm. From atop of the school's many buildings a figure was watching them carefully. He smiled as he saw them there but he had to separate them somehow. 

Sage was getting an irritation point raised as he felt something he had not felt in a long time. The presence of pure evil. Stepping back in his mind he was amazed at how fast it had his defenses all the way up around him and Shary. Looking down at her slightly shorter form he nodded and he started moving towards the gym. "Stay close." He whispered. "We know he is playing games to get us separated, if you ever get the need to move in another direction tell me, I'll go with you." 

Sages voice was low for a reason, his neck hairs were standing on end and he never did that unless he was being watched. He wanted to make sure that whoever it was couldn't hear or tell what he was saying. Too early in the game for giveaways like that. 

"Okay." Shary silently followed him and they went into the gym. It was completely dark and had this eerie feeling to it. It felt like a tomb to her. Was even cold. She reached over for the light switch but the power was dead. "Great. Looks like we're literally in the dark here Sage... Sage?" She looked over her shoulder but had already lost sight of the blonde. ~How can I be so dumb?!~ "Sage? Where are you?" She called to him softly, looking around the gym for him. 

Shary looked about the dark gym when a hand shot out and covered her mouth. As she was pulled back into a darker area of the gym she could feel a light armor covering the person's hand. She stifled a scream, as she was pulled further back into the dark. ~SHARY!~ Echoed in her mind. 

Sage relaxed as he heard the communication and continued on his search. Using his abilities with out his armor was going to take it out of him, but he did not know who they were up against and he did not want to do more than was necessary to take him out. Over kill was reserved for creeps like Talpa. Looking about he too was grabbed but as he was startled he reacted and grabbed the hand flipping the person in front of him. 

Sage sighed in relief as he saw Carrie in her subarmor in front of him. What a perfect place to hide a ninja, the ShadowRaven armor blended perfectly with the shadows and was completely invisible in low light. Nodding to her he spoke along the direct link. ~How many are loose?~ 

Carrie shook her head. ~Not enough I'm afraid. We have to find the others. I know who is loose and who isn't, it is a case of finding them.~ Sage nodded and continued on his way. Kento had to be here. If the big guy ever went hunting he went to his familiar territory first. 

"Shhhh." A low voice whispered. Then almost so softly that she almost could not hear him he added. "I am going to move my hand. Don't scream." He kept one arm around her so that he back would stay to him as he leaned down by her ear to give her the instructions. 

Shary kept still. Once more she was sent back to that dreadful night just a few days ago. She would never let that happen again. She kept still and waited until he pulled his hand away. Mustering her strength she pulled her arms up and then slammed it back into him. Pain shot through her elbow but the arm around her waist loosened. She jumped a bit forward and raised her arms over her head. 

"Armor of Balance," she said in a soft whisper. She touched the inside of her wrists together, causing the spheres to join and merge in a bright flash of light. She heard a few cries of startled pain. The light also revealed who attacker was and she was surprised. When the light faded she was in the subarmor once more and she hugged the man tightly. 

"Cale! Oh god it's you! You jerk!" She pulled back to lightly hit him in the chest. 

Cale winced some and rubbed the area. "What was that for?!" he accused. 

"Don't ever scare me like that again!" But once more she hugged him tightly, wrapping her arms around his neck. She was happy. He was her friend and he wouldn't hurt her. She trusted him that much. 

"Keep your voice down. Had you waited a moment I would have told you who I was." He looked at her displeased. "Well he knows where we are now and that you have an armor. Lets go." Cale started walking down into a darker area a few steps then looked at Shary in the perfect dark. "Are you coming?" 

~Yang, you should know that the good guys down pin you that lightly and ask you nicely not to scream. Remember what grandfather told us about over reacting?? Cale is Warlord of Darkness and Corruption for a reason.~ Sage gently chided in her mind. Leaving her with the link open and a cool calm that drifted over her mind. ~Listen to him though, he knows as much in the dark as I do in the light.~ 

Carrie had finished looking through one room of the gymnasium and gestured for Sage to get going topside. 

~Gomen. Guess I need a lot more practice than I realized.~ She sent an emotion through the link that felt a little like shame. Wordlessly she followed Cale, looking around nervously. ~This is going to be much harder than I thought.~ She sighed softly to herself, feeling like such an idiot. 

Cale tapped on her mind and then entered through the armor link. ~The darkness is my friend; I have another friend in the dark, just remember the rule of the dark. It can't hurt you if you don't let it.~ He grabbed her armored fingers with his own sub armored ones to keep her close. ~Do you trust all of your friends' friends? Or are we an exception because we play with pretty marbles too?~ The question was serious and yet phrased to make her smile. 

If she would stop being so blasted jumpy and armor down a level now that she gave her cover away, he would have an easier time getting her through this maze with a smaller amount of noise. He let none of his irritation filter through though as he remembered by a sharp reminder from his counterpart that she had not had as much experience in dealing with the scary, brutal, or just plain weird. 

~I trust you guys. Maybe not as much as Sage and the others but it's still there.~ She momentarily let her eyes slip close until them were mere slits and tamed her power to a lower degree. With it not pressuring her so much she actually relaxed some. ~Better?~ she asked Cale. 

~Getting there, now all you need is 400 years of experience and you'll be set to take over the world.~ Cale was kidding of course and the smart assed grin that filtered through was proof of that. He still held on to her and called his No-Daitchi to his hand so that should something happened, he wasn't completely unguarded. 

~Running around in subarmor is for the others, I am a warlord, I am supposed to be in full armor.~ he thought to himself. Looking about in the darkness he noticed a problem and lead her around it carefully. One never expected giant holes in the floor unless you could literally see in the dark. 

~Very funny. I just want to find the others and go home. This place is like a tomb. A cold tomb.~ She shivered lightly, trying to get her body used to the cold temperatures. She still held his hand, not wanting to lose him. Next time someone came up behind her they probably weren't going to be a friend. 

~The trick is to make sure it never gets to you. I know that this is not a balanced situation but try to bear up. You know that Sage is out there. Use that to anchor your sanity if you must. But you snap and we will all lose.~ Cale was not afraid to tell her what the stakes were. If it got her to chill out and deal with the fact that she had to completely trust him in the dark instead of dealing with him in the light. So be it. 

She was about to retort but thought about what he said. He had a point on both parts. Sage was out there somewhere so she let that become her anchor, so to speak. She also let the fact that the trust she had in everyone, especially Cale, be known. As long as she had that she would be all right. But if that ever snapped... She shuddered slightly at the thought. 

~I can't sense anyone... do you think they're getting ready to ambush us?~ 

~No, it's all clear in here. We are being followed, but they are ok.~ 

~Then where are they? And why in here?~ She looked around, still keeping a hold on his hand, trying to look through the darkness. Suddenly she felt a sharp jolt of pain as the symbol on her chest. ~Cale!~ She stopped abruptly, clutching at the symbol with her free hand. ~S-Something's gonna h-happen!~ and it did. 

The sounds of doors slamming and then locking close echoed through the empty gym. Windows were also closed tightly and a hissing sound could be heard. It was a gas of some type, very strong and attacking their lungs. Faint sounds of people coughing could be heard. Shary released Cale's hand and grabbed her throat. She couldn't breathe and she fell to her knees, getting dizzy. 

~Great.~ Cale was so far higher than the level of the gas but he was less than pleased that he was not warned about this. ~Sage. Get your ass down here!~ 

Cale armored up fully and was pleased that his helmet and faceplate offered him some protection from the gas as long as he was able to control his breathing. ~Sekmet would have a field day in here~ His sharp hearing soon heard someone at the door and they were agitated. ~THUNDERRRR.....~ 

That was all Cale heard through the armor link and he grabbed Shary off the floor and headed for the shadows just as the Thunder Bolt Cut ripped the door and part of the wall out. Sage had his faceplate down as he had felt through the multiple links that Cale was getting fuzzy. Fuzzy Cale was never funny no matter what they wanted to do. 

Shary still kept her hands over her mouth, trying vainly to find some clean air that wasn't polluted by the gas. She was still coughing but at least some of the gas was going through the now open door. She opened blurry eyes to see someone is bright green armor holding a shining sword. Then someone in sub armor stepped up behind him. 

A wicked laughter could be heard and everyone tried to pinpoint where it was coming from. Was this the one who was behind what was going on? 

Right now Sage was pissed, the others were free and on their way, Nikki was still recovering, Cale had jumped into the nearest shadow to speed his healing and Shary was getting the gas out of her system. That was 6 friends to many that were messed with. "I don't care who you think you are. Get down here and fight like the normal evil creature! I am Date Sage, Sage of the Halo, Master of the Thunder Bolt Cut and Your end! COME OUT!" 

A slight chuckle was all that was heard. Shary was too busy sucking in the clean air, grateful that she able to breath once more. However, another pain shot through the symbol. She barely had enough time to dodge to the side as the area where she was kneeling. The person chuckled and slowly stood up. 

"Nimble aren't you?" He looked up, his pale blue eyes cold as ice. The dim light from the broken in door filtered in, revealing a young man with pure white hair. He was dressed in what looked like the armor of the dynasty sliders minus the helmet. It was Damion. "Long time no see, Manor-san." 

"S-Sensei Damion?! What are you doing here?!?" Shary could only look at him with wide eyes. 

He smirked, looking down at her in a superior manor. "I must saw, that sub armor suits you very well. But I preferred you when you had nothing on... like when I took your innocence." 

Everyone froze at the words he said. This was the one that had raped Shary to the point of breaking her completely. The girl in question grew very pale, pupils gone very dilated. Damion threw his head back and laughed. 

"I truly enjoyed that night! You did to I believe. And I just loved the emotional pain I was feeding from you. Then at the school... I would of had you then it you hadn't 'bonded' with these fools. No matter, I'll get you soon." He smirked at her and stepped back, vanishing into thin air. His voice could be heard through the room though. "Till we meet again!" Then it was gone.


	17. Chapter Seventeen

Raven's Wing  
Chapter 17  
Dragon Dagger  
& Yin-Yang

Sage hissed between his teeth he was so angry at what had just happened. Sekhmet, and Dais just showed up for the commotion backed away from the blond since he had violently shrugged off Carrie's restraining hand. Right now Sage was more dangerous to what ever they were facing than Ryo in the Inferno armor, if only because this was personal to him. Only Cale knew the full scope of the threat Sage of the Halo presented to the unknown evil. 

Turning his blade around he walked over to where Cale was still standing over her in the shadows and held his hand out to her. The fury was still there but it was well contained behind years of meditation and work in the ways of a bushi. Looking at her carefully he was able to tell that she was more rattled than anything and that the gas would not harm her permanently. That was a relief to him, as he did not want to have to be the only one that would know what this enemy would face. This time he couldn't do it alone. He had lost his balance; maybe Shary would help him to find it again amidst the turmoil. 

The young girl looked at the hand offered to her and then at the young man's face. He was once again upset and it was her job to try and help him calm down. Taking his hand, getting to her feet she brought her other hand up to hold his in both of hers. First she calmed herself down, and then looked deep into his eyes. She spoke to him, privately and soothingly. 

~Sage-san... please calm down... we will get Damion for what he's done, I swear it... but please, relax...~ she looked at him with pleading eyes, asking him to control himself. She hoped that she could balance what he was going through. 

"How can I relax when he is out there lying in wait for you?" He murmured softly but the tone heavy with the warning signs that had made the older warriors nervous. "We start training today, and now is as good a time as any. I am tired of seeing all that you had been turn in to what you have become. It is time to bring that Girl I once knew out into the open again. I will not tolerate my battle sister being mocked in such a fashion for it is dishonorable. Time for you to regain your honor Yang, are you ready??" 

His voice was still very low and dangerous, but there was a new light in his eyes that conveyed far more accurately than any words that even though they had to regain their honor, he would not push her any harder than he did when they were younger to do it. 

She should have expected this from him but she did the only thing she could do. She agreed. "I'm ready when you are Yin." He was right. It was time she regained her true form. 

"Then let's go. There is a lot of catching up we both need to do and you will need to be as hard on me as I am on you if we are to both get better." Sage's glacial gaze softened as he smiled, "We'll get him. Yes, he will get everything he so richly deserves and so much more. You ready for a run?" 

"Of course! This will just like those years ago." She winked at him, smiling some herself. This was going to be a fun day, in her mind. 

"Armor down, remember what I said about the beginning of our training." With that he armored completely down in to his street wear and gestured for her to follow suit. Once she readjusted to the power difference again she nodded that she was ready. 

Sage looked over at Cale. "Meet us at the house tonight, Shary and I won't be back until well after dark." Nodding to Carrie to let her know that she and Nikki were expected too he took off at an easy pace to warm up and held steady for Shary to catch up. "Comon slow poke, even grandfather could keep up with this pace!" Grinning he needled her with the light fun until he could feel the light breeze moving over his body as he moved down the street. The light pace for him would have caused most people to drop after a few blocks. Grinning he made a face at Shary as she was only a step behind him. 

"Tease." was all she said as she picked up the pace some more. Soon they were running neck-to-neck, teasing each other with jibes and such as two best friends would do. "Where are we headed?" 

"To a place I like to train. It isn't far and it is on the grounds of a friend's place just outside of town." Sage paused to steady his pace and breathing before continuing. "There are a lot of trees and clearings and I sometimes go there to just get away from the feel of the city. Nice as it is living in town, it sometimes gets to me." 

Thinking a few moments he looked over at Shary noting that she had not forgotten their runs when they trained. "The woman's name is Mia, Ryo has another friend that lives there since Mia lives alone. I am telling you this so that you aren't startled. But his friend's name is White Blaze; he's a white tiger. Very intelligent he won't hurt you, more like he will try to get to know you at first and then he will most likely leave you alone." 

By this time they had been running for a solid half hour and they had put some serious distance between them and the school. They were almost to the off road that lead up to Mia's place when a large white and black striped cat jumped out of the forest and ran beside them. Mia knew they were coming. 

Even with Sage's warning it still took her by surprise. She faltered back just for a moment but then continued the pace Sage was going. White Blaze looked at her curiously and she gave him a small smile. She wasn't really a cat person but he was beautiful. She looked around the surroundings, liking the peacefulness and silence it held as they ran through it. 

"We'd better say hello to Mia before we start training or I will never hear the end of it." Sage smiled good naturedly even though the stress and anger had not left him, the run had pushed his focus enough that he was able to push it out of the way for a little while until he could get it worked out of his system. 

They came up tot he house and Sage finally slowed his pace and was breathing a little harder for the exercise. Looking at White Blaze he asked the tiger. "Is Mia at her computer again today Blaze?" 

The tiger shook his head and started walking around towards the back of the mansion indicating that they should follow him to find her. Sage nodded understandingly that Mia was out walking in the woods behind her place to clear her mind. She often did that when things did not add up or pieces were there that did not make sense. 

A few minutes later they were lead to one of the many clearings he and the guys had used for training when they stayed with her and looked to find Mia in the middle just taking in the sounds and the feel of things. White blaze rumbled at her and as she turned she smiled and walked up to Sage and Shary. "Sage! This is certainly a surprise. What are you doing here?" Mia's face was cocked at an angle to him that told him that she already knew something was wrong, and that she only had yet to figure out what it was. 

"Well, this is Shary, She is my Battle Sister from Grandfather's Dojo. Mannor Shary-san, this is Koji Mia-san. She was the one that gave us the information we needed to defeat Talpa and the Dynasty the two times they invaded." 

"Very nice to meet you Koji-san," Shary said softly as she bowed to the young lady. She looked around the guys' height with long, dark auburn hair and green eyes. She felt that she could trust her since she did help the Ronins out and her eyes showed warm and friendliness. Shary smiled a little bit, feeling a bit better. The running helped clear her mind some and she was ready to begin training once more. 

"And a Pleasure to meet you Shary-san. Take care out here ok? I know how you train Date Sage and I'll be sending White Blaze out to get you two when dinner is ready. I won't take no for an answer or I'll have him bring you in in what ever fashion he deems necessary." Mia cocked her head at Sage in a way that told him she meant business. 

Sage turned an interesting shade of red as he remembered the last time she told the guys that. Not only did White Blaze bring them in scuffed up he dragged all of them except Ryo in by their pants. Ryo knew Blaze well enough to know that he would follow through and so made his way to the mansion as soon as the cat showed up. 

Mia nodded made her way back to the mansion with the tiger, Sage turned to Shary. "Ryo has Mia keep White Blaze out here for several reasons. The first one being that out here he can run around and not get in trouble. You got to admit that an apartment is not the place for a tiger, even one as intelligent as he is." 

"The second reason is for her own security. Mia has had problems in the past with solicitors and people who are after her or her money or both. We can't be here to deal with that so Ryo told him to look out for her. We all feel better for that. During the Dynasty occupation she housed, fed, and clothed us all on top of keeping us as a team and helping us to work through the times when things were rough." 

Sage moved off into a seemingly random direction into the woods again and started stretching out thoroughly against one of the trees. 

"I see. So she's been like a sister/friend/mother combination." She began to slowly exercise herself, taking her time and making sure she got her muscles ready. "I like her. She's very nice and is lucky to know you guys. And White Blaze is something else. He's as smart as you say. Reminds me of-" She blushed and turned her back on him. She mentally hit herself for almost spilling out who she had a crush on. 

"Hmmmm, Sounds like little sister has a problem." He teased her playfully as he shook his limbs out hopping lightly from foot to foot testing the give in is muscles and the amount of spring in the earth before jumping up to the nearest branch about 20 feet off the ground to avoid any potential attacks from Yang. 

Shary whirled on him, a slight blush creeping over her cheeks. She looked around in confusion when she didn't spot him on the ground but then looked up. She smiled. 

"You sneak. There's no way you're going to find out about this little secret until I'm good and ready. Besides," she placed her hands on her hips. "I thought we were going to practice?" 

"We will. But you've gotta catch me first before I can train with you. I mean look at you, blushing and I'll just about bet it's a guy that you're thinking about too." He taunted her mercilessly hoping to get her to discover some of the fringe benefits of running around with a Armor crystal and yet not wearing it. Hopping off into the trees he could be heard laughing at her for quite the distance before he went quiet. 

"Oooooh! You're impossible at times, you know that?!" she yelled at his retreating back. She was about to take off after him but she looked down at her kanji spheres on her wrists. They flickered very lightly, as if trying to tell her something. Then in her mind's eye she saw where Sage was. She smiled and silently hopped into the branches as well, following her friend. Oh she was going to catch him all right. And then tease him. 

Sage kept moving silent as the light that filtered through the trees and smiled as he occationally peeked back on her through their bond to see that she was using the armor link to trace him. "No cheating!" He called out. "Use your own senses and sharpen them so that you do not become dependant on something that may let you down or be used against you." His instructions were rapped out with the precision of his grandfather as he reminded her sternly that a bushi was only as sharp as his mind and body, not his sword 

"Okay." She paused for a moment to pull back from the armor link, just enough to where she was technically closing the door halfway. It was still left open to talk but not to trace. She closed her eyes and listened to the sounds of the trees and registered what was natural and what was sage. Which was pretty hard since he moved like a deer. With her eyes slightly open she climbed a bit higher, making her ways through the trees. 

Sage was still being careful to not make a sound. When he looked back and didn't notice Shary he stopped for a moment and looked around for her. Resting a hand on the tree he was on to steady himself he extended his five senses to look for her. She was close, he could tell that much. But not sure where she was at the moment. 

Shary bit her lip to keep from yelling out, hoping to scare him. Instead she slowly crawled from her perch to his branch. Then she quickly hugged him from behind, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I caught you!" she said happily, smiling broadly as she realized that her sense were sharpening. 

"Good. How hard was it really after I took away the easy path?" Sage grinned as he grabbed her and hopped strait down out of the tree. "Sometimes things just seem impossible, like us running around the treetops like squirrels even when we aren't in our armor." Grinning wickedly at her he proceeded to tighten his grip on her with the one arm and tickle her mercilessly with the other. 

Shary struggled against him the moment he began the torture. He knew that this was her biggest weakness and he wasn't going to give it up so easily. "Sage quit! Eee-you sneak!" She broke into laughing, trying to vainly protect herself and stop his hands. "Mercy! Uncle! I'll tell you anything if you quit tickling mee!" she almost squealed and couldn't stop herself from laughing. 

"Who is it Shary?" Sage grinned at her as he paused the tickling just long enough to give her a chance to answer but his arm was still an unbreakable band around her his other hand positioned to start tickling her again should she resist the question. 

She was panting softly, trying to get her air back into her lungs. Escaping was futile; one she was too weak now to escape and two, sage was not going to let her go until she told him. She blushed once more, staring at the ground. 

"It's... one of the guys... Kento." her blush grew redder and she hid her face in her hands. 

Sage smiled softly as he sighed quietly in relief. He still was able to read her pretty well; this was a good thing since his friend Kento was like an open book to the world. Letting her go gently making sure that she wasn't over balanced or anything he straitened her up against him. "You had to tell someone. Better your brother who will only tease you about it than someone who would use it against you." He murmured softly to her as he waited for her to get her embarrassment under control so that they could practice again. 

"You're right" was the reply that came from her hands. She lowered them so her eyes were shown and then let them fall. The color slowly died down but the warmth was still there. She looked up at him, "Please... don't tell him... yes I like Kento but I want to tell me on my own time..." she hesitated but forced the words out. "A much as I would like to know what it feels like if he just holds me in his arms I can't... not with Damion still around..." 

"No, There is a fight to be fought and honor to be regained. You have a ways to go and so do I. With your appearance I have had to rebalance everything in my life against your needs. I have started to accept that balance and that will be something that will be. I promised Grandfather that if I were to ever find you again I would find out where you went and then I would help you out in whatever way I could. I have fulfilled the first of the promises." 

"Now I will fulfill the second part of the promise and Help you win this battle in everyway I can. But you do know that this is your fight and mine. It is like he has struck me when he struck out at you. As battle brother and sister we have to do this together. The others will want to help, but As much as I want to let them, I can't. Not this time. Only Cale knows about the full extent of my words, and if any of them have to step in to assist it will be him. With the Armor of Balance, and the armor of Light. The Armor of Darkness would round out the balance and he is the only one I trust to abide by what we call in that battle." 

Sage gently rubbed her shoulders as he spoke to her feeling her start to relax again. "Besides, I know that you will tell Kento about how you feel when the time is right." Smiling gently at her he picked her up and covered her eyes. "No peeking, I am going to take you someplace special to me. We can continue to train there."


	18. Chapter Eighteen

Raven's Wing  
Chapter 18  
Dragon Dagger  
& Yin-Yang

Shary understood it all. This was their battle. And they had to beat it alone. She nodded, looking at him with determination. "I know what you mean. This is our fight. And we're going to have to practice hard so we'll be ready to go and fight that jerk." She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I'm ready to start." 

Sage grinned as he set her down and opened her eyes. In front of them was a small waterfall with a pool and a pair of rocks in the center of the pool. Looking around he hoped that she liked the calm place as the first thing they were going to have to do was train their minds again. Re learn their focus so that they were again the best. 

She looked at the serenity of the place, liking it and relaxing more. She looked at her battle brother, smiling and she gave him a brief hug. "Arigato... this place is very soothing. I take it we learn to focus our minds?" 

Sage nodded. "Ready to rock hop to the center?" Sage put action to word as he jumped out to the middle of the pool and took the far rock. The landing on the slick surface cause him to stick his arms out for balance to keep from sliding into the water and he turned and waited for Shary to jump out to her rock before he was going to sit down. 

He knew that she could make the jump easily and stick the landing, but it had been a long time since she had the faith in herself to do something like that. The meditation he had planned was to strengthen their bonds as well as deal with her problems and get her mind squared and cleared for the training. This might take all day, but better than training half cocked. 

She took another deep breath and stepped back a bit. Focusing on where to land she hop to her rock, holding her arms out stretched to balance herself. Her foot began to slide but she leaned back. After a few moments of leaning to the sides she was standing firmly on her rock. She looked up at Sage and nodded. She had made it with little trouble. 

Sitting down Sage nodded to her and he began to slow and focus on his breathing. As soon as he felt her follow him into the trance he initiated the link contact. ~Ok Yang, we need to get you past the past. You live in it too often and it is what is holding you back. This will also help us to focus in the future. You have to deal with EVERYthing you have had to deal with in the past now. We will do this together, but you have to get through all of this or Damion will be able to play on your fears the next time we meet up with him. Are you ready for me to help you see everything that happened in the past in your mind? We will go through the emotions and I will help you...but this fight is primarily yours. You have to understand the past to move past it and into the future.~ 

~All right... here it goes.~ She let the wall that held her memories back slowly open to him. One by one they came, uncut and mostly of harsh memories. The first ones were of her family, how they treated her and how unhappy she was. She loved them but they never seemed to love her back. 

Sage was there to help her. He talked to her, soothed her fears and calmed her down. He also helped her out and when he saw the rainy day of the car accident. Unfortunately the next ones were hard to sooth her down. 

They both relived the moments of when she was raped. The problem was she got locked into it, reliving it all over but this time sage was locked in it also. 

Sage was better able to stay calm now that he knew that the emotions would feed into his sister. Instead of calm he projected a perseverance of the situation. Survival and relief. Positive feelings to try to combat the circle her mind was going in. 

He wanted to step in and stop it himself, but he knew that for her to understand herself, her reactions to Damion she would have to stop the circle herself and look at it from the outside as if this were a TV show and put her objectivity to that. This was going to be a part of her toughest battle and though they couldn't see each other as their eyes were closed, he knew that she was shedding tears over what happened again. 

Sage stayed in her mind to gently nudge her in the right direction on how to look at the memories and how to deal with them, but she had to do the rest herself. He would calm her when she came back to his mind for the moment but he always sent her back in to combat the horrors she saw, felt, heard and smelled. 

She hated this. She hated this more than anything and she wanted out. But Sage kept pushing her back. "No... I-I can't take this anymore! I don't want this to happen again!!" She wasn't sure what happened but she screamed something and she felt burning and freezing at the same time. She broke the link holding them and fell back. Cold water shocked her into opening her eyes and she stood up. She was more or less damp and she was standing in the water. And shaking. She looked at Sage with wide eyes, shaking lightly. "What... what happened?" 

"You got mad at me." Sage's calm answer came back at her. 

"This can't be happening..." she stared at the water, still standing in it as it made her ankles numb. The freezing and burning sensations... it made no sense whatsoever. She rubbed the mark under her shoulder, and sat back down on her rock. "My fault. I want to do this again. I want to get through this. 

"It is possible that the stress you were feeling as I kept pushing you back into your mind's turbulence caused an involuntary reaction of some sort. I feel the sensations as well. We will get you through this. Hop back up on the rock and get settled. You are most of the way through your memories. You just need to deal with the recent hell now. You can do it. I do believe in you." 

Sage coaxed her back up on the rock, there was no way he could get into the water and help her. This was a lesson to them both in having faith in the other's ability to get back up and keep fighting. 

Once more she got on the rock and took a deep breath. To make sure she went through all the memories once more. As the rape scene began she stood up to it. A few times she wanted to get out but she stood up to it. Tears still fell but she let them. Silently she made a vow to herself, Damion was going t pay for doing this to her. But he would receive a painful and very slow death. It was over and silently the rest of the memories came. They reached the last memory and she was still facing them down. 

Shary took a deep breathe of relief and opened her eyes slowly. She looked over at him. "How did I do?" she asked quietly. 

Sage came out of his trance slower taking time to initiate his physical senses and get oriented to what was going on in the outside world. As he opened his eyes he noted that she looked less jumpy and skittish than before and more composed now that he gave her something to fight for. The corner of his mouth quirked up in a slight smile. 

"You know how you did, you are still here and you didn't kill yourself for what happened to you. And I rather think that you are a little more pissed off at than scared of this Damion character. Lets just get both of our minds calmed and back to the gray balance we had when we were little and then it should be almost time for Blaze to come get us for dinner." 

She only nodded and willed herself to calm down, to relax. Her breathing evened out and heart rate slowed down some. Her eyes closed once more and she focused on balancing out again. She thought about what he said and agreed with him. She felt more at ease with herself. And she did have a goal to focus on. To kill Damion. 

She wasn't' surprised when Sage's greater calm touched her and helped her to relax more. Sage had known that she was going to come back up to his level quickly and was prepared for the backlash of emotion that was sure to follow. Running an old tune to her he completed the connection and the bond for permanence and then focused with her. Soon their breathing and hearts were in synch as they had been in the distant past. 

Sage was proud of her and he let a bit of that seep through their link to her, the calm they had reached was so still now that not even the animals were afraid to come around them. The deer came up to the pool and started drinking from the water and Sage saw this all in his mind. Knowing that she did not yet have this trick learned he showed it to her knowing that she would like it. 

She was taken back with the site he showed her and a soft smile touched her lips. The scene was so peaceful and lovely; she really liked it and let that seep into the link as well. She asked him if he could show her how to do it as well. She wanted to see this for herself. 

~Pull all of your energy and focus together. As you are doing that you will be able to see with out sight.~ Sage had first come across this as a Ronin and since then he had never been caught off guard while he was meditating. 

The whole thing was to him the proof that he had reached a high level of focus and energy. Keeping that focus when he wasn't meditation was a harder lesson to learn and it took him a couple of years before he mastered the technique, but when he did it made his life a whole lot easier. 

~Focus together... okay.~ She did as he said and very blurry began to see a picture in her own mind. She kept focusing it all together and little by little the picture cleared. Relief and excitement spread through the link. ~I did it! Oh wow... this is amazing...~ 

The excitement colored her mind and tone and Sage could only smile as he heard the tones he heard so long ago when she finally got a new move to work, as it should with the bokens. The little-girl-discovering tone as he called it and he had not, until now, realized just how much he had missed it. Feeling him more than hearing the low growl he knew that she would have a blind spot for the tiger for a bit until she got used to him. Grinning she tapped her mind and lightly broke the concentration. 

He walled up against the arrows she slung at him and called out to her. ~Hey, chill out and come up for air. Dinner time and I do not want to be the thing the cat dragged in.~ His particular distaste for the last incident colored his own mental tone as he came out of his trance but kept the link up. 

This was a much-needed time for them both as he now had the chance he was waiting for to strengthen and make the bond more permanent than it was before. It had weakened over time and again when she read the letter that was all over the school. Now the bond and link was as strong as before and he could feel her level of trust in them raise a bit. That was something he knew would take time, but for now this was a good start for her. 

Standing his eyes open he jumped flipping in the air to keep him up longer since the slippery rock did not give him very good leverage for making the jump. Landing on the bank he looked out at her and waited for her to wake up and come over. ~Comon, I do not want to let Blaze come out there and dunk you, cause believe me, he will do it.~ 

Shary let out a frustrated sigh and opened her eyes. Slowly she stood up and made her way over to the bank. Unfortunately she slipped but only got her feet wet. Grumbling she wadded through the water and climbed the bank next to Sage. "I hate being wet." 

White Blaze chuffed at them to get moving and Sage took her arm smiling. "I knew you were a little catty, this proves it." Grinning he looked at her in the late evening sun. It was almost below the horizon now and dinner was on the table. 

Grabbing her about her sides he had already looked to Blaze to see if this was all right and then put her on his back and hopped on behind her. Holding on to her they took off like a shot towards the mansion. Mia was apparently not going to wait too long to get them to the table to eat and he could smell it from here. 

Shary hung onto the tiger, liking this very much. It was fun! Blaze ran very fast, faster than she could ever run and pretty soon they were at the mansion. Sage got off first and then helped her off. "Domo arigato White Blaze." she said as she patted him on the head. 

Blaze rumbled and then licked her hand and headed inside for his own meal. Sage gestured like a gallant for her to precede him inside to the dinner table. 

Shary took his arm and they headed inside. The place was huge, like her own home but it held the touch of warmth and friendly atmosphere. She liked it here. Everything looked comfortable and welcoming. When they came into the living room she smiled at Mia and bowed slightly. "Domo arigato Mia-san. You have a very lovely home." 

"Thank you Shary-san. Come on you two lets go eat." Standing she gestured back to the kitchen where there were sandwiches and other picnic like items that would fill them all up and give Sage and Shary the energy they needed to get back home. It was dark now and they knew that the others would be waiting for them when they got back to the mansion. 

"Mia, I have a favor to ask of you. Do you think you could come with us to this planning session? You might be able to help us take out a little problem that has come up." 

Mia looked at Sage and nodded. She was almost never called to help the guys unless it was something that was right up her ally of expertise. As they ate she thought out the things she would need to bring and had the list completed in her mind when they were ready to go. 

Shary helped take the empty dishes back to the kitchen and kneeled next to White Blaze, scratching behind his ears. He purred like a contented house cat, which made her smile more. "You're a special cat, White Blaze... I wonder if you would like to come to my place. I'm sure Ryo and the others are already there." 

Sage nodded at Blaze and Mia. "I don't think it would be a problem for him to come along. But he will have to go back with Mia." Smiling he looked at the picture of Mia and the crew just after they kicked Talpa back under the rock he came out of the first time. Looking at Mia he noted that she had grabbed her laptop and the gear for it and was ready to go. 

"Mia. You go ahead with the jeep. Me, White Blaze and Shary will be along, we need the run." 

Shary gave the tiger a last scratch and stood up. "I'm ready to go." 

Sage and Mia nodded and as they all headed out Sage, Shary, and White Blaze started out first knowing that they would be passed on the way. Starting at a good warm up pace they all ran down the road towards town and Shary's house.


	19. Chapter Nineteen

Raven's Wing  
Chapter 19  
Dragon Dagger  
& Yin-Yang

Mia got into her jeep and drove out of the driveway. As she drove she could see the two friends and tiger jogging in the same direction. As she passed by them she waved at them. Shary returned the favor. Soon they arrived at the mansion. Shary, Sage and Blaze went through the back door as Mia came through the front. They all meet in the living room where all their friends were waiting for their return. 

White Blaze had fairly pounced on Ryo when he saw his friend again and they were wrestling on the floor in the open area with White Blaze mock growling and the others laughing at the antics of the pair. Sage looked at Shary and murmured mentally ~You ready for this?? You will be asked a lot of questions~ 

She looked over at him, meeting his eyes and nodded. ~I know. I'm ready. As long as you're here, it'll be alright.~ She offered him a soft smile. Something that was becoming an occasional habit. 

~I will not be able to be here for you all the time. But the bond is always there, no matter the time or distance. You know that.~ Sage put his hand on her shoulder and gave it a quick squeeze before they got seated. 

Rowen and Sage looked like they had been in a rather serious discussion when the guys came in. Cale, Dais, Sekmet and Kayura were all there and it looked like they were rehashing student reaction to the new teachers that were they. It had been hard coming up with acceptable names for them, but in the end they managed and got the classes taught. Cale had been with the Kendo club when the afternoon's events transpired so he was the first on the scene. After that everyone knew what the story was. 

Shary was perched on a large floor cushion, staring down at her ring. She kept her ears open as the story was told. All the words seemed to just filter through her mind. Something riled both gangs up to the point where they were out for blood. Unfortunately, they thought Ryo was from the other gang and jumped on him. Only when the Warlords arrived did the fighting cease but the injury was done. The dim light shimmered off the symbol in the middle of the ring. Yin-Yang. The same name of her armor. She still wasn't sure why she had to bear it. Sighing to herself she ran her hand through her hair, glancing at the bands on her wrists. 

~Asking the silent questions Yang??~ the very quiet question floated up from her mind 

~I guess you can say that. I don't understand yin, why am I supposed to bear this? Why not someone else? From what I can tell these armors are passed through the bloodline. More or less. What has that got to do with my family?~ 

~Something again to meditate on. Your armor may hold the answer, or maybe it is an answer that you already have. Remember the old phrase "know thyself" ? Maybe and that is a maybe this is the start of something for you to journey through. I am there for you and I will help you as I can. You know that Yang~ His voice was quiet as the water on the pond and soothing as watching the deer. He did not want her to get upset and he knew that his quiet would help her stay under wraps until she was able to keep her focus all the time. 

~I know Yin. Domo arigato. For everything.~ She sighed softly and leaned back some. ~I figure that this is something I have to find out on my own, like a journey of some sort.~ 

~I can't think of a better journey for you right now. This one will give you a lot to think about. Here it comes.~ His soft mental warning was the prelude to the Questions session that was about to happen for Mia's benefit. 

"Shary, I noticed that when you are nervous you play with that ring. I know how much it means to you but how does it tie into everything we know about you??" 

"This?" She looked at her ring and hesitantly pulled it off. "I bought it a few years ago. guess... it just felt like... something I needed. The little symbol in the middle means balance..." she looked up at her. "yin-yang... here." she hands the ring to her. 

"Something to remind you that there was a balance to everything?" Sekmet spoke up and for once wasn't being facescious. More like he truly understood what she was looking for in the trinket. 

"I guess you can say that. Something like that... I got it before I meet Sage-san... and now I can't picture myself without it." 

Sage nodded to show that he vaguely remembered seeing it all those years ago back in his Grandfather's dojo. The only time she would take it off was for sparring, even then it was a fight as she had become rather attached to the ring and did not like to remove it. Sage usually stepped in at that point and got her to remove the ring just for the match and then they both would get it back to her. 

Sage at one point was able to wind some thread around the band so that it would not slip off her finger easily but not so tight that she couldn't get it off. Her young fingers were too small for the band and so he knew she loved that ring and made the wrapping out of soft thread in a small design that was special to her. 

Once she got the ring back she slipped back on. She always felt comforted by it and momentarily rubbed the symbol at the center. She looked up and nodded to them. "Any more questions?" 

"I do have one. Do you remember anything about the guy that pulled your from the car wreck that killed your family?" Mia tried to be as tactful as possible with the question but there was no way around it. That person may be a vital link in the puzzle before them as to why Damion wanted her. 

"Not really... he was strong, and I felt comforted by him. There was something else..." she closes her eyes for the moment, trying to remember. "Call me crazy... but I remember something about his skin... felt more like scales..." 

Sage and Mia's eyebrows went up as they looked at Sekmet "You know anything about this Sekmet?" Sage's eyes almost glowed as his look almost burned with its intensity. Sage wanted to be at the bottom of this mess so that life could go on. If Sekmet did know something this was going to be a most interesting night in deed. 

The Warlord slowly shook his head. Until know he never meet this girl. "I never meet her until now." 

"No... I don't think it was him... I don't but it's like I meet him before... aye. I can't remember that well..." rubs her temple tiredly. 

Sage knew the ways of the mind and knew that if she had seen the face even in a fleeting glimpse she would have it in there somewhere and looked at her. He really did not want to push her but he nudged her side of the bond. ~If you saw him once, it is there. Need help Yang?" 

Sage's face had given away nothing, he looked like he was paying attention to Mia and the others as they talked. The only clue that Sage might not be all there was the slight gleam in his eyes that had the spark of another intelligence. 

~Yes. Please, help me remember.~ She didn't look at him but if was almost like she did. She wanted to find out who her rescuer was. Maybe this would help with some of the puzzle of her life. 

~Open up sis cause here I come. Hope there is nothing you have to be embarrassed about cause I am going to go through everything, and I do mean everything. You even start to turn colors and the other will wonder about you before you can get the explanation out.~ Sage's eyes twinkled slightly with a merriment that was meant only for Shary. 

He still enjoyed teasing his battle sister but it was the tease now that was also a warning that everything had to be looked at. 

~Peacock. Her you go.~ She opened her mind to him, letting him look through. ~Go ahead. But be careful.~ 

Sage growled at her slightly as he entered her mind. There were a lot of emotions swirling around in there and confusion as he worked his way through the deepest memories of her youth. He would toss up all of the images for her to see and then put them away in her mind. 

This was a lot harder than it looked for Sage. Normally he did not have to worry about the risk of getting lost in another's mind as he never went deeper than absolutely necessary to heal them. However this was different. Not only was she his Battle sister, but also she was the closest thing to family here in the city that he had now that he found her again. He was not about to loose her again and as he looked around he realized that there were quite a few pleasant memories of her past with him at the dojo. He was tempted to swipe the memory of that awful memory but left it as that. A temptation. 

He was in danger of loosing himself in her mind each step he took farther into her mind, but he did not care this time around. He said that he would help her however he could and if that meant getting lost in her mind helping her to see all of her memories from birth to now then so be it. 

Outside of her mind his body could tell that he was being watched but he knew that it would not be long until they all found out that he was not there in his own body. He just hoped that they would recognize that him not being there would mean that they would have to leave him alone until he came home. 

Looking around in her mind again he saw a dark and well-shadowed corner. Not liking shadows he headed for the corner of the mind and pulled out every single memory he found there. Tossing them out to her he felt her stiffen instinctively against these memories. ones that she had forgotten held horrors for her. She would have to deal with them now. 

Looking around her found the memory of the scaly skin feeling and looked around it for the other memories of the person that went with the memory. He soon found it and tossed them out at her conscious mind. He knew that the others had noticed that she was not acting normally for her own quiet self and her subtle stiffening had alerted them all that something was not quite right as Sage was usually the first on the scene when she started having problems with her memories. The fact that Sage was not physically responding meant that he was elsewhere. None of them having the bond or the training he had, they had to trust her to not have a complete problem and let her work through them. 

The memories came full force and her his tightened into fists. All of a sudden it felt like she was trapped in something that was burning up. She was wet and scared. Death was surrounding her, broken glass and flames licked at her dress. She smashed her arm through the window, deep gashes appearing on her right arm. She screamed for help, trying to pull herself out but her clothes were caught. 

Someone pulled her out and carried her away. The explosion was heard and she went into tears. The person held her tightly and rested his hand on her shoulder. The skin glowed and the symbol was formed. Then he held her arms and the wounds slowly healed. He seemed to growls very softly deep in his throat and looked down at her with bright, sapphire blue eyes. 

Shary looked up at sleep started to take over her. Weakly she looked up at her rescuer but he vision was turning dark. He was large frame and mainly white. But what threw her off was that he was protecting her from the rain with a pair of leather soft wings. In her mind the term dragon popped up. But then she fell into a deep sleep. Only to wake up in the hospital...an orphan... 

~Start talking sister. I can't stay in here much longer. I am already in danger of losing myself in here. You know that as well as I do. I do not know anything about this but the others might.~ Sage's energy was starting to fall off fast as he kept her going as well as kept his mind and himself separate and your within her mind. 

His own body was leaning back in the chair eyes closed as it he were merely listening with his eyes closed. But Sage, Nikki, and Shary knew better. If she did not get the memories out and into the open he would be lost to them forever, inextricable from the depths of Shary's mind. 

"I remember... about my rescuer... he's a dragon... a dragon saved me. And he also gave me the symbol but I still don't know why he saved me! Why am I allowed to live when my family died?" She wanted answers right now but it would be no use getting upset right now. As least she knew who to look for now. 

Mia nodded and started typing into the small computer on her lap and Sage was drawing sleepier. ~Damn. Help me outta here. You may be my battle sister but that does not mean I get to live here.~ 

Sage was starting to fight harder, but his energies had been almost exhausted. When he had left Mia's house on that run he had been far more tired than he would ever admit. Now he knew that he didn't have the energy to get back to his own body and it was starting to worry him. 

~Okay just relax and let me get you out.~ She closed her eyes to concentrate. It was like she was having him lean on her and following the same path he took she helped him into his own mind. She chided him a bit but only because she was worried about him. ~I told you to be careful. But at least you're out now." She gives his cheek a brief caress and enters back into her own mind. Slowly her eyes open and she looks up. 

Sage was wiped out. He had no energy to get up so he just stayed back in the chair and listened to the conversations as they swirled around him. He tapped the Halo Crystal for the energy to keep his mental shielding up as he felt the others trying to tap him to find out what the heck happened to drain him like that. Normally Sage fairly snapped with quiet energy. Now it was like he was fading into the wall. 

Ryo, Rowen and the others were a little worried and they looked to Shary for the answers to what is going on. 

She nodded to them silently, letting them know that he was okay. "I guess some of us are more tired than others right now," she said softly, yawning behind her hand. "Excuse me. What I said about the dragon... did it help any in any way?" 

Mia was still typing and clicking away at the data in her computer but the Warlords, Nikki, Carrie and Kayura were all in a small tight conference. None of the Ronins had any idea as to what was going on since they had not had quite the background in otherworldly beings that Mia, and the others had. Maybe thought this time around the Warlords would be able to come through for them. 

Nikki looked at Shary with half lidded eyes and was more surprised than ever at what she saw. Not only had her bond with Sage strengthened but she saw that her own power focused down to a much narrower band and she felt different to her extended senses. During the girl's afternoon out something had happened to her that Sage knew about that had narrowed her focus and power. There was a decisive split that was starting to form in her aura and it worried Nikki. 

"Shary-san. DO you know what a soul memory is??" 

"Soul memory?" she searched her thoughts but it drew a blank. "No, I'm afraid not. What is it?" she asked politely. 

Nikki sat in front of Shary and smiled. "Well a soul memory is something that you might remember as a memory, but you know that it never happened in your life. Usually they pop up as recurring dreams, but they are also a part of the wide subconscious base of knowledge known as Archaic Knowledge. 

Your soul remembers things from one life to the next. Sometimes those memories surface and they are confusing. I am just wondering if you might have any disjointed memories like that. 

"Oh... okay. If it'll help everyone out then okay. Let's do this." She gave her a small smile and relaxed some more. "So, what do you need me to do?" 

"With Sage as weak as he is I am not sure if you want to do this. You will need someone to help you should something ugly come up. You seem to trust Sage the most and I know that your Bond with your battle brother is the stronger than even his bond with the other ronins." Nikki Smiled slightly at the looks of shock that appeared on the faces of the ronins around him. Sage noticed but did not care right then. 

~I can be here if you need it, just need to change to my armor if I am going to push myself like that. You want to try to deal with so much in one night?? I don't think you should, you still have slight problems dealing with old memories.~ Sage's tone was soft but not weak indicating that he was trying to keep up for her sake as he wilted further into the couch. 

Shary stayed silent for the moment, thinking hard on what Sage and Nikki told her. She wanted this to be done with but she also didn't want her 'brother' to wear himself so thin. He was right about the memories, if she got him stuck in her memory than what about Nikki? She didn't want that to happen. Still... 

~Sage... you should rest.~ "Nikki... I'm ready. If something does come up I'll just have to face it down. No use trying to run away from it when I can face it now. Besides, I would like to find out about this right now rather than later. If you don't mind." 

Kayura cocked her head at the girl and thought a moment. "Shary, if you don't mind, I am going to have someone monitor you anyways. I know that Sage will try to extend himself if you do this alone. Instead, since you are the child of balance, I will have Cale "listen" in. If Sage doesn't mind, I think that his polar opposite will fill in well enough." 

Sage managed to wave his hand in the go ahead. He was so tired and weak, but he was not about to let go yet. Not with Shary pushing herself so hard. He trusted Cale to help her through the shadows, but if something were to happen and she got stuck. No one was going to stop him from armoring up to get the energy to go in after her. 

Shary also nodded her head. It would be weird with Cale anchoring her but it was safer and a good idea nonetheless. She nodded to Nikki, showing that she was ready. Slowly she let out a deep breath, slowing her heart rate some. 

Cale, when he was not teaching class at the Highschool; ran around in a do Gi and so he simply sat down in the lotus position and dropped almost immediately into full meditation. Once he was in the calm shadows of his own mind he gently reached out to Shary. He knew that his mind was completely different from the others in the fact that it felt dark and uncertain. Nothing could be farther from the truth for Cale. He was a shadows person by nature and it was in the darkness that he understood everyone. All were equal in the comforting shadows. 

~Shary?~ His deeper mental tone touched her. Where Sage's tone was light and tenor, Cale was the complete opposite. His tone was dark and in the base range, somewhat at odds with his own speaking voice. ~Relax and settle into meditation. You will need the calm of the glades that Sage showed you today to open your mind completely for Nikki.~ 

Cale's voice may have been dark and bass, but it was also warm and certain. As if he had done this before and so he extended his own confidence to the girl he wished to link with. 

~Alright.~ Her own tone was like a muted gray and seem to fall between the two. She moved herself to a more comfortable position on the floor cushion and took another deep breath for measure. She slowly slipped into her deep meditation, and carefully opened her link up. It was strange to feel two of her friends touch her mind but it also kinda of familiar. ~What now?~ she asked softly.


	20. Chapter Twenty

Raven's Wing  
Chapter 20  
Dragon Dagger  
& Yin-Yang

Sage gently tapped her to let her know that he was still there and watching. Nikki moved through he link of the two that stood one either side of the balance and started chanting the Mantras that would release the soul and its memories for the brief time it would take for the four to see it. 

She sat perfectly still and watched at memories she never knew existed began to open. It was like rusty and hidden gates were reluctantly opened. As it slowly happened new memories came flooding in. Like a dam opening the memories lapped at their 'feet' and it kept growing until they could very well see what the memories were. 

The memories were very old. By the looks of things, it was like the beginning of time... the time of creation for Japan. It was like a double vision, from the male aspect and then the female aspect. They all watched as the islands were born and then the gods and goddesses of the continent. 

Nikki then understood what was going on and sighed. Chanting a different mantra after releasing Shary's soul back into her being she showed everyone else what she had seen. "What you saw Shary was a Soul memory. Your's is very old, like my own and every one else's here in the room. What it appears to be is that you have the essence of the souls of both Yin and Yang. With such a soul merge you are far more powerful than you realize and the armor you wield has the power of two armors with in it. I don't know much about the armors, but I am sure that you will instinctively know how best to use the essences of the armors." 

"Child of balance, Daughter of the gods of light and dark, Creation and Destruction. Damion is most likely someone in your past and is a danger to us all now that we know who you are. Be careful." Kayura stepped in with the warning, she had been concentrating on the ways of her clan since she saw the images and was only able to tell her that. 

"... I understand..." She was calm, but something in the way she spoke realized that she was too calm. Too relaxed if that were the case. That didn't sit with everyone very well. The bands on her wrists began to pulse and she looked up sharply. Something inside her felt like it was being pulled in half but it was hurting her too much. "Stop it... it hurts... I said stop it!" Some of the vases exploded and a few picture frames had their glass cracked in the middle. 

"What is going on?" Dais asked the two priestesses. But they weren't sure either. 

"No! Don't take it away!" Shary cried and more stuff exploded. The light bulbs blew up, sending the room already in light darkness but the young girl was still sitting on her cushion. Her eyes were wide with pain/fear and the bands on her wrists were glowing with power. She sudden grabbed her shoulder and leaned forward, that's when some of the furniture began cracking along with the walls. It was like the house was falling apart or something. "You can't have the armor! I need it! They need each other!" 

With a cry she got to her feet weakly and scrambled to the dining room. The table suddenly collapsed when the legs broke into pieces and she had her back to the glass doors leading to the back yard. Her uniform melted into her sub armor and then full armor. It was mainly black and white but her tattoo was the symbol on the breastplate in silver. She pulled her sword out but dropped it. Everyone watched at the blade glowed and then split into two different swords: one grayish-black and the other a silver-white. But she didn't care. Shary grabbed her head and screamed. Her armor and body began to glow and it looked like it was getting pulled in two directions. 

~Sage!~ she cried to him through the link. ~Oh god-help me! He's trying to pull the armor apart! If he does... I'll die~ she fell to her knees, still holding her head and the back doors shattered, raining down broken shards on her. No matter how hard she concentrated on keeping the armors together it was not working. 

Sage was there in an instant with Cale. Both were in their Armors and Sage was hoping that having the equal parts of opposites would help her out. Two minds touched hers and Sage started speaking. ~Remember the dark and the light. You are more powerful than he is. Cale and I are here. Feel us as we give you our power to give you the strength to fight him. You fear him still. You have nothing to fear except failure. You will not fail so do what you must. Cale and I trust you with our lives Now take our power and use it with the power of the balance to reject him completely.~ 

Cale and Sage focused and as if they were giving their power to Ryo for the Inferno Armor they sent the power of Light and Dark to Shary. They did indeed trust her that far and more. 

Cale knew that if she died Sage would become completely unbalanced and there would be no telling how powerful the armor of Halo would become if Sage's destructive abilities were to become unleashed and freed. Cale knew that there was no limit to the power of the armor if the heart stayed pure. However to completely unbalance Sage would corrupt the heart of Light with Darkness and there was no telling what that would do. 

Cale then stepped into her mind to help her to understand the dual nature of his armor. She already knew of the Halo armor as she had been bonded with Sage for too long to not know. ~Shary, Remember what I said about the Armor of Darkness. The shadows can be your friend and your enemy. It all depends on how you see them. Use the abilities that come with my armor to shut the door. You will know what to do, I promised Sage I would not let you die, He never knew of the promise until now, and I'll be damned if I renege on that vow now!" 

She didn't say anything but took the offered power granted to her. Holding onto the both of them securely she concentrated on the thread she knew as Damion. He was trying to separate the armor into it's original halves: Protection and Torture and steal the dark half. They both needed each other to balance the other out but where one was lost then the other would most likely lose control, whether or not it had a bearer. A rare few occasions the armors stood on their own. 

Once she found him she felt angry. He thought that by taking Torture he would make her weak again and then take her. She'd be damned if he ever used her and attacked him with Sage's light. Once released she called her armor back and used the darkness from Cale to keep them hidden from Damion. 

The man growled. Whatever she had done to him hurt like hell! When he tried to search for the armors or ever her he couldn't even find her, and this was her mind. Everything was enshrouded in complete darkness. But he couldn't draw his power from it. This was much different from the kind the Dynasty provided him. 

"Cale of Corruption... I should have guessed you'd be helping her, and the light... I know you're here also Sage of Halo!" He laughed like a maniac. "What's wrong?! Protecting your 'turf'?! I knew you two grew to become good friends after the battles but I didn't think you shared the same woman! Tell me... is she good in bed?" 

Audible growling could be heard but he wasn't sure where. A pair--no, two pair of glowing eyes looked at him. Very slowly a dim light could be seen over them. It took him completely by surprise. It was the very armors he hoped to separate. Torture looked at him with pure hatred. Protection looked at him with disgust. Over all the darkness Shary's voice was heard. 

~You hoped to weaken me more... to turn me into something I was once was... no more, Damion. This is my life, my armors, my fate... feel what will happen to you if any of us ever get a hold of you.~ Next to protection stood Halo. Together they shot beams of light into him, causing him immense pain. Next to Torture stood Corruption. Together they sent him darkness but that caused him more pain. Damion left her mind all together, with his tail between his legs. 

The armors of light slowly began to repair what had been done to her, easing the pain and soothing her fears. The armors of darkness sealed shut the door Damion entered in. He would never be able to use the door again, no matter how hard he tried unless Shary choose to let him in. Halo and Corruption slowly began the delicate process of merging Protection and Torture back together again. Soon it was merged back into Yin-Yang. 

Shary let out a sigh of release and sat on the ground heavily. The pulling sensation was gone but her swords were still separated. "He's gone..." she said softly, holding both swords in her hands weakly. 

Cale stayed by her side having had his armor released back to him he armored back down to his Do Gi he put his hand on her shoulder almost protectively as Carrie and Cye knelt by Sage who had collapsed during the struggle. Giving up his armor to Shary had taken the last of his energy and his mind had shut down. No longer in control of his armor when it was returned to him he was restored to life instead of a stasis like manner and was breathing. It was shallow but he was at least there. A very weak soft tendril of thought reached Shary through the bond instead of the link. ~You did well.~ 

The darkness that enveloped the mind on the other end was a darkness of exhaustion to a level that Sage had never known. He had almost given his life for Shary and only the fact that his armor was with her kept him alive since the bond fed him just enough energy to stabilize him. 

Shary rested her hand on his won, squeezing it. She looked over at Sage and got worried. "Cale..." she looked at him, worried in her eyes. "Will Sage... be alright?" 

Cale smiled slightly. "Shary, If I know lightning boy over there, and I should after all the times he kicked the hell out of me. He'll be too stubborn to die. He'll be fine, provided we get him inside and into bed. When he wakes up he is not going to take sitting around waiting to heal lightly." 

Cale went silent as he remembered something he felt from Damion during their encounter in her mind. Keeping it to himself he made a mental note for it and a promise to talk to Sekmet, Dais, and Kayura as soon as they were away from here. Moving slightly he took her hand and helped her stand up. 

"I think that you and I should get him settled tonight. Then I must go and speak to the other Warlords about something. I will return however when you all are in class." 

The others watched silently as Cale and Shary started by concentrating on his armor to get him to armor down. Once that happened he was easier to move. Cale picked up the halo bearer and nodded to Shary that he was ready to help them get re-settled. 

"Follow me." She gestured for him to follow her but paused for a moment and bowed to everyone. "My friends... domo arigato for everything... I guess my insurance will go through the roof now..." she weakly laughed at her own joke. 

"It was not your fault. In fact..." Kayura lifted her staff up letting it shine over everything. As the light dimmed everything was once more fixed, as if nothing happened. 

She smiled at her and bowed once more. "Domo arigato Lady Kayura... everyone for everything..." She nodded to Cale and led him to the same room she stayed in while she was healing. Once he was laid in the bed she knelt by his side, holding his hand in her own. She was still in armor but she didn't care. She was much more worried about her battle brother. 

Cale was about to leave when she called out to him. She thanked him... for his help and believing in her. "You're welcome..." Silently he closed the door and went back downstairs to talk with the other Warlords. 

Cale motioned to them that it was time for them to go. Nikki stood with them and as Carrie looked at her she explained. "The libraries of the Dynasty will have more information about the armors than anything I can find here. I will return in time to be in class in the morning. Just don't step into a battle that may not be yours." 

With that Nikki bowed in goodbye and left with the Warlords through the portal Kayura opened in the living room. Ryo looked around not really tired but definitely not full of energy either. "Well, lets get our Homework done and then call it a night. White Blaze, Stay with Mia like always, we don't know what this Damion person would do if he knew about her." 

Blaze nodded and walked over to Mia who was now working on her computer again now that things settled again. She had seen things for herself now and now she had the information that she needed to research the Balance armors and this Damion person. Something about him set of serious warning bells in her head and she wanted to make sure that she wasn't calling out wolf before she told the guys her suspicions. 

Upstairs, Sage slept deeply and quietly twitching every so often as his body recovered. Occationally he would make a noise in his sleep but his exhausted body did very little as Sage recharged in the night. 

Shary continued to stay by her brother's side. She looked down at him, finally willing her armor away. However, the swords refused to leave. Instead she laid them against the bed and rested her arms on the bed. 

"Sage... please get better soon... I didn't mean to take so much... I guess, we're both too stubborn to admit it at times." She picked up his hand once more and rested it against her face. "Love you always, my brother..." then she rested her head on her arms and closed her eyes. Pretty soon she was asleep. 

After a while the guys downstairs finished their work and one of them came up the stairs to see how the two of them were doing. Sage was still resting and Shary was there by his side, sleeping also. Kento smiled softly. He was glad they were both okay. He draped a light blanket around her shoulders and the left the room to head back downstairs. One day... he would tell her how he felt... One day. 

The others completed their homework and headed for bed in the rooms they had claimed the weekend before and slept through the night in peace. As Dawn showed its face to the world Kento and Cye both woke up first to the smells of breakfast being cooked down stairs. Getting ready quickly they headed downstairs to find Ryo and Rowen already up and Nikki making breakfast. 

"Morning you two, Dais and the others are already at the school. Something about a teacher conference today this morning so that classes wouldn't be interrupted." Nikki called over her shoulder as she finished up the breakfast. Putting it on the table she looked around and noticed that Sage, Shary and Carrie were not there. Rowen, will you go upstairs and make sure that the others aren't late for breakfast? Making us late for school would not be a good thing even though we have the guys teaching today." 

Rowen nodded and went upstairs. As he passed Carrie's room he heard her moving around inside and she sounded like she was getting dressed when he knocked on the door to make certain that she was indeed awake. 

She answered that she would be right down and so he moved on to the room Shary and Sage were in and as he cracked the door open to look in on them he saw that she had moved during the night and was now sleeping on the covers next to him using his softly rising and falling chest as a pillow. Both looked better than they did last night after their run in with Damion trying to split her armor. However they were still exhausted and he knew that waking one or the other would probably not be a good thing. Using his armor's link to Sage he realize that he was physically healed, but his mind and body were not nearly ready to be out and about dealing with Damion. If he was that exhausted then it was best that they left the two alone. 

Moving back down stairs he told of what he saw and it was agreed that they would have to cover for the pair. Sage going off half cocked at some dumb fool today would be the worst thing that would happen. It would be made worse though because they knew that sleepy or no he never failed to bring the shirtsleeve blade with him to the school.

They finished breakfast and headed to the school together letting Sekmet know through their armor link that Sage and Shary would not be at school. Knowing that the Warlord of poison would know what to do they all finished getting to school and to their classes. 

The guys at school were a bit uneasy and word of the flyers had dimmed down some but not much. Since word had also spread that Sage and Shary didn't come to school today that just fueled the gossip more. But they were careful not to say anything when any of the group of even the new teachers were around. They also kept their eyes opened for search of Damion but he was nowhere to be found. 

At the mansion, Shary sighed softly and opened her eyes. Looking around she slowly sat up and looked down at Sage. He looked better and more rested. However, when she tentatively reached him through the link he needed more rest. And she was going to give him that. Making sure he was comfortable she silently left the room and when downstairs. She was late for class and noticed that everyone was gone. 

~I guess they decided to let us sleep. That's nice of them.~ She went to the den to pick up a book and decided to read in the study. She curled up in the armchair before the dead fireplace and read the book in her arms. But from time to time her mind kept drifting off to the existence of her armor. Of more likely armors. 

Sage slept deeply from the outside, but in his mind he was fighting drams that he had not had since Shary first disappeared. He was in his full armor and fighting to get to her but he was not able to save her in time. That she died in his arms and blamed him for not being able to save her. 

Rowen was jumped between classes and with the number of students in on the ordeal he had to be very careful as to how much strength it took to get them to all stay down or leave. All the nurse knew was there was a large influx of bloody noses and severe bruises coming in after that. When she asked one of the boy's what happened she was surprised when she heard the answer from the doorway. 

"I happened. Sorry ma'am, these guys jumped me between classes for no reason. I got a little rough because they practically dog piled me." Rowen was leaning against the doorjamb looking at the guys and internally wincing at the damage he dished out. 

"Well Hashiba-san, if they had no cause to hurt you then you were with in your rights to act. You just head to class and I'll get the story out of these boys." The nurse shooed him off to class with a hall pass and as he left he smiled knowing that the nurse was considering this the payback for the favor he did her a few months back with her ex husband. He was content to leave it at that and headed out to lunch. 

Looking around he saw that the group already gathered and had a note in the shape of a snake. Grinning he knew that Sekmet called and wondered what he was up to now. 

{Just so you know, that the students here are concerned about Damion-Sensei's disappearance, I ok'd Ryo to take over the class since he did not have to look after Shary today. Something is not right and I would bet that he is off licking his wounds. Beware, he is of the dynasty and someone is trying to undermine Kayura's hold there. Meeting today after school at the usual place.} 

She looked up sharply from her book. Something felt wrong. She left the book on the chair and made her way up to the room. Silently she walked in and carefully sat next to him. He looked all right but when she reached through the link once more he was the opposite. "Oh Sage..." She held his hand to her chest and reached him through the link, trying not to wake him up but to sooth him. 

~Sage... I'm here for you...nothing is your fault... don't let these nightmares take control of you...~ 

"I wonder what he and the others found out," Cye said quietly. "Anything else happen with you guys?" 

Ryo had been left alone on the account of his temper and what happened when it was aroused, Kento had his usual argument in gym class and the others were seemingly ok until Rowen spoke up. "Well I just flooded the nurses office with candidates for treatment. A bunch of guys decided to conveniently forget what happened the last time someone jump me. The nurse is repaying a favor I did her a few months back and is getting some answers for me." 

Carrie nodded, she too had her own problem to deal with but it was not something she would discuss out in the open. Cye hopped up to his branch in the tree so he could relax again and look out over the others.


	21. Chapter Twenty One

Raven's Wing  
Chapter 21  
Dragon Dagger  
& Yin-Yang

Back at the house Sage fought with his dreams and as he started to move in his sleep it was almost as if he were trying to bring her back. The hand she held curled around hers and gripped it in the strong grip of the mind caught in a dream that it cannot escape until the body awoke.

For the remainder of the day more unusual stuff kept happening everywhere. It was always aimed at the group but the main question was who started it. And what was that person hoping to gain aside from trying to get them beaten. 

"Sage-san please... open your eyes... I'm right here." The dreams were getting worse and he was still stuck in them. She continued to hold his hand tightly and slipped into the deep meditation like the night before. She decided to show him that she was alive by entering into his dreams. ~Please, let this work.~ 

The scenery was familiar to them both as it was the last day they were sparing with live blades out in the bamboo forest behind the dojo. The tall thick bamboo trees were sheltering them both but Sage always seemed to be just a half step ahead of her. 

What had happened that day differed vastly from what now appeared in Sage's trapped mind. As she hopped back from one of his strikes she was grabbed by a pair of armored hands and dragged inexorably through the trees. She was frightened and calling out to him but fast as he was he could not catch hold of her outstretched hand. 

As he ran on trying to keep up with her to hopefully free her from the hands that pulled her along he was horrified when a lithe black figure came between them and killed her. A single swipe of the Ninjato that he held and the hands released her dropping her to the ground as her life's blood left her. Sage was able to catch her as she landed and cradling her close something appeared in his eyes that never appeared before. Sage Date was crying. The tears he shed dripped down on her face as she struggled to breath. "Sage, why didn't you protect me? This is your fault brother." And her accusing eyes closed as her life force left her. 

Sage screamed defiance and vengeance as he cradled the dead body to him. This was his sister and as he mourned he whispered. "Kami-sama I am so sorry, I tried. I love you more than as a friend or as a battle sister. You were my sister and more, I loved you and tried to push you in the right direction. How could you leave me?!" 

His terror, self doubt and hatred for what had happened burned brightly as he donned the Halo armor and buried her. Knowing he would be too unbalanced he armored down completely but held onto the sword. Sticking it into the ground he hung the Halo Crystal off of it and divorced himself from its power. He could not save his sister, what right did he have to bear the armor now. 

"Sage! Don't do this, please!" 

Shary was suddenly there, still in her uniform and running at him. Once she reached him she wrapped her arms around him tightly in a tight embrace. She shut her eyes tightly against the tears that threaten to fall. "Don't do this to yourself. I'm alive Sage... Look at me." She pulled back some and looked into his eyes deeply. When he reached up to touch her face she leaned into his hand, holding it there. 

"This is nothing but a nightmare. I would never blame you for anything. You are my brother in battle and in spirit. I am not dead. And you shouldn't divide yourself from Halo. You are worthy of bearing the armor of Light. Please... I love you too much to lose you to this nightmare. Let me help you-" 

But her words were cut off as the ground began to rumble. She held onto Sage tightly and they both watched as the ground where he buried his 'battle sister' before she came. A hand erupted from the ground and slowly pulled itself out. When now stood was a rooting corpse with Shary's face. But its eyes were filled with deep hatred and anger. 

Sage stepped back and looked at both the corpse and the woman that stood in front of him. The corpse now wielded a blade that looked suspiciously like the Halo-ken only the blade was black and seemed to suck the light out of his mind. Abruptly her rusty voice called out. "Sage, you were right to divorce yourself from Halo. Look at me. I am dead and you, you had the power and the ability to save me, but you failed me. You couldn't save me then.... How can you save me now? Now that I am dead come back to life!" 

Sage took a ready stance and stood before them both. "I don't know what is real or what is not here, but I will just about bet that I can take you both on with out Halo." As he faced them both his stance deepened and he leapt up to the tops of one of the trees and took off like a shot. "Dais would know what was real and what wasn't. But he isn't here now is he. You're on your own this time Sage." 

Sage muttered to himself as he moved with all of the stealth he had learned from running around the dynasty through the treetops knowing that with his mind completely closed neither one could follow him easily. That would give him time to figure out how to fight them both. 

"Sage wait! Don't leave!" But he was gone. She whirled to face the corpse and grabbed the No-Datchi of Halo. She looked at the crystal sadly before slipping it into a safe spot in her blouse. "How dare you try to pass like me, Who are you and what do you want?!" When it didn't answer she shouted at it, growing even more upset. "Answer me fertilizer breath!" 

"Do you not see? I am you." The corpse brought her wrists together and was immediately covered in the armor of Balance. 

Sage sucked in a breath as the Halo-ken did not react to Shary, the Crystal stayed quiet as she tucked it away and then almost fell out of his place as the Corpse donned the Armor of Balance. Both of them were Shary. 

"No... I-it can't be... You are not me! And so help me if you go near Sage I'll make sure you stay buried!" She hefted the sword up, resisting the urge to call upon her own armor. "Come on and fight me! I don't need Yin-Yang to take you down!" 

"You think you can defeat me? The girl that knows so little of her own past that she relies on others to tell her? Do you honestly know so little about your past that you do not know who Sage and Cale really are? No, Let's just say that in the end they were not worthy and neither are you!" The corpse lunged forward moving faster than Shary would have expected with the dark silver blade of the armor of balance. 

Shary barely made enough time to bring the no-datchi up and blocked the attack. She tried to get around the double to maybe strike her from behind but it was no use. She used all her own strength to keep from falling under the blade. 

"What--are you talking about?? I would let you hurt them or anyone else!" 

"Those that fall by the wayside are forgotten forever, Gods that fall to earth to change the lives of the mortals for good or evil are forgotten in time. Small wonder you don't know them." The Corpse fought fast and furious as she spoke. The hatred in her eyes fueling her energy as she fought. 

"Be a good little twin god and DIE!" The Corpse struck under her guard only to have the blade bounce off of a shield that glowed green. Under Shary's blouse the Halo Crystal glowed with an intense light as it shielded the one that held it. 

Shary looked at the light shield and felt comforted by it. But the words she said made her think. 

"Twin god? Wait a minute... will you quit speaking in riddles and tell me what you mean?!" Patience was wearing thin and she wanted answers now. 

"My dear, think about your past." The corpse's tone was condescending. "Why do you think you work so well with Sage and Cale??" She backed off and tapped the blade in her armored hand. 

"It is because you had two twin brothers. One on one extreme and the other being the polar opposite. You were the balance of the two. Did you never wonder how it was that you were able to wield the Armors of Halo and Corruption individually instead of just becoming stronger??" She looked at the look of shock on Shary's face and smirked. 

"Yes, I thought it quite interesting that you and your brothers would find your way into the Armors of Talpa. Now do you understand? Sage was your brother in more than one way. That old fool that taught you both was not a complete fool paired you up as battle brother and sister." 

"Twin brothers...?" She dropped to her knees in shock. She never knew... but the pieces seem to fall in place. Everything. But what about her family. "But why all the secrets? Why was it only now that I found out?" 

"Your Family knew about your past when they took you to your blessing at the temple. The Priests did a ready and told them of your soul. When they discovered your martial arts bend and your pairing with Sage, they hoped to avoid your fate, but by that time you were bonded and it was too late. The souls recognized each other for who they were and pulled together. Now do you finally understand?" The corpse was getting impatient to finish the discourse so that they could finish the fight. The challenge had been issued; there was no turning back. 

"Yes, I understand it all now." She looked at the sword she held in her hands and slowly stood up. Her hand closed tightly over the blade, the edge biting into her skin but she didn't acknowledge it. She glared at her angrily from beneath her bangs. "Still, I will not lose them not that I found them. Not you or anyone else is going to harm while I still stand. Now then, let's continue this little dispute." She dropped into a guard stance and held the sword steady. 

Neither of the women got the chance to act as Sage had watched the whole thing. He had seen enough and as he dropped the 40 feet out of the trees above them his sleeve blade slipped into his hand and nicked the corpse. "On Drawing your blood I take this fight as mine." 

Sage looked sharply at Shary and took the Halo-ken from her hands and lifted it easily, smiling as the familiar weight of the blade returned to him. He had seen his sister struggle with the long battle blade as it was not light weight. "In my sisters stead I will take on this fight as family and like herself I will do it with out my armor. I am Samurai, I am sharper than my blade and I will be your end spirit of my past." 

Sage swung the blade easily to the side in signal that the fight was now his. 

"So be it, Samurai." The corpse spat the word and lifted her blade. She came on first, putting all her strength behind the sword to try and cut him down. 

Shary stepped back and watched with her hands clasped tightly together as if in prayer. Although this was her brother's mind this battle could decide it all. If he could defeat the corpse then perhaps he would be able to wake up from the nightmare. The crystal of Halo was still safely tucked away and she would not give it up until Sage asked for it.

~I know you can defeat her Sage...my brother.~ She smiled at the last word. 

Sage moved the sword to block her easily. Soon into the fight he realized that even though the corpse did have the Armor of balance, she was not using the full power of the armor nor the moves that he knew that Shary knew. Again the swords clashed as Sage was calm and focused even though he was tiring. The Halo-ken was easier to wield in longer battles with at least his sub armor, but he had set the challenge and he was going to do this as a Samurai. 

Each had nicks and cuts all along their bodies and the Armor of balance was soon looking battered and out of tune with its environment. Sage took the strength he had left and focused it. This was the preparation for a devastating ace in the sleeve blow that he had learned after Shary had disappeared. If it worked he would crush the corpse under the blow. If it failed, Sage was not going to think about the alternatives to success. He would win and that would be the end of the dreams, at least those of his immediate past. 

"KIIIIAAAAAHHHHH" The battle yell rang through the trees as he jumped and put everything he had in strength, power, chi and life force behind the blow. As he came down on the Corpse of Balance she did block with her sword but the power Sage had put behind the Halo-ken had activated some of the residual power hidden in the blade of light and it sliced through the sword that blocked it and through the Corpse disintegrating it. 

Turning from the pile of armor he saluted Shary with the blade that won the battle and dropped to his knee in complete exhaustion. This battle had taken everything out of him as he held on to the sword to try to stand again. 

She quickly rushed to his side and helped him to his feet. He leaned on her and she held onto him tightly, not letting him go. She felt so happy now and it showed as she kissed his cheek. "Oh Sage... I'm so glad you're okay. I just knew you could do it..." She smiled at him and hugged him tightly once more, resting her chin on his shoulder. "My brother... never going to let you go." 

Sage smiled down at her "Don't forget that I already said I wasn't going to lose you again. I tend to make good on my word." Sage held his hand out. "Could I have the Halo Crystal back? It will help get us both out of this nightmare." 

He was incredibly weak but he was far better than his condition was last night. The Halo Crystal had started charging with the rising of the sun into his room. The light was now what was going to get them out of the dream world he had been trapped in for so long. Cale was going to be surprised, but they could not let Damion know about any of this. This was going to be hard enough for the reunited siblings to deal with on top of every thing. Ruffling her hair playfully and smiled again. 

Shary nodded and pulled the crystal out. She gave to him, closing his hand over it. "Never believe what people say, especially if they say that you or any of the others are worthy to bear the armors. If you weren't then the armors would have never chosen you." She looked up at the dawn's light, embracing the warm light it shined down on them. She linked her arm with his own, watching as the crystal began to give him some of his strength back. "Let's go home. Together." 

Sage nodded as he closed his eyes and started fading gently out of the world they were in. "I will be awake when you come back to me." Echoed about her as he faded completely. 

As he opened his violet eyes he found his hand in her two hands as she looked at him seated next to the bed. She smiled as she saw that he was indeed back. "Ni-chan, Arigato." He whispered softly to her as he smiled slightly. Moving he realized that he was in his subarmor again and banished it again before he sat up. 

Shary sat back some but returned the smile. She released his hand only to wrap her arms around his shoulders and hugged him once more. He was better and she was glad for that. Burying her face in the side of his neck she held him tighter. ~I'll never be alone. I've found my family once more. When should we tell the others?~ 

Sage chuckled softly as he wrapped his arms around her and gently ran one hand over her hair in the old care worn gesture. "I think we need to let Cale in on the family secret first before we figure out when to tell the others. He needs to be in on that decision too you know." 

Sage swung his legs around to the side of the bed and as he stood up, promptly sat back down on the bed as his head informed him that his blood pressure was not going to keep up right away until he started moving around again. This prompted the other complaints his body filed against him about sleeping in one position for too long. Looking at the clock it was almost time for the guys to come home from school and that meant that they would have to get Cale alone from the others so that they could deal with things on their own level. 

Sage knew that as far as Family for Cale went, he was an only child. Having no brothers Sage might just as well been an only child until Shary stepped into his life. Having the battle sister to look after and then losing her, he found that his friendship with the warlord of Corruption grew rather quickly. The only thing he could think of to explain it was opposites attract, and you could not get much more opposite than those two 

"Hmm, first lets get you walking again. C'mon I'll help you walk around until you're body decides to move on it's own." She slipped his arm over her shoulder and her arm around His waist. Slowly and with care they stood up and slowly made their way around the room first. Then they moved around the hallway and decided to take a break before going down the stairs. 

"What you said about telling Cale first, I agree. I mean we should all agree whether to tell everyone and when." Wraps her arms around her knees and lightly shakes her head. "I still can't believe you two are my brothers...I couldn't ask for a better family." 

Sage half smiled as he ruffled her hair again. "You wouldn't have thought that a few years back. Cale and I were worse than cats and dogs there and no amount of balance was going to make us see to eye to eye. You probably would have wondered what the blazes Kami-sama was thinking for putting the two of us within arms reach of each other." He chuckled. 

"However when we got our agreement to disagree settled we were at lease able to work together and now we both know that there are some things that we actually agree on." He pulled her close to him and kissed her forehead. "You ni-chan are one of those things. Damion is a very dead creep now that the spirits brought family into this. And he does not even know about this yet." Sage grinned as he realized that they now had an ace in the hole for when things got to the end game. 

Feeling like he could get about under his own power again he grabbed the banister and hauled himself to his feet and started going down the stairs towards the kitchen. "Ya think Kento left us anything to eat this morning??" 

"I hope so. We both missed breakfast and lunch." She followed him to the kitchen and began looking for something. "We're in luck. So what do you feel like eating?" 

"How 'bout letting me cook and you two tell me what kept Sage under for so long. Normally when eh is exhausted he is still up before the rest of us." As Sage and Shary turned towards the voice they knew that it was Cye. Cye it was and he was standing in the doorway to the kitchen looking at them both with a lot of questions in his eyes. 

Sage gestured for Cye to enter and he pulled Shary away from the cooking apparatuses so Cye could go to work. "Nothing against your cooking Shary, but I think it is going to take the both of us to explain this one since I ma not all certain what happened between last night and when you came in to get me." 

Cye gave them a really funny look and continued to root around for the things he was going to need for a light meal for the pair and indicated that he was still listening.


	22. Chapter Twenty Two

Raven's Wing  
Chapter 22  
Dragon Dagger  
& Yin-Yang

"Alright. Well, I guess to start is what caused me and I guess the house to fall apart. Damion was trying to split my armor in half. You see, separated my armor is called Protection and Torture. Damion was trying to steal Torture since it's the most destructive half. Sage and Cale came in and using the armors sent Damion packing and merged the armors together again." She leaned against the counter, wondering how to say what happened later. 

"Well, Sage you were drained pretty bad. Cale took you upstairs and I stayed with you. What happened next I'll let you tell what happened." The next part she wanted for Cye to here it from him. Since it did happen in his mind after all. 

"Well I was trapped in the nightmare battles of the past, trying to fight my way up to waking up I had to battle the ghosts of my past, including dealing with the fact that when Shary disappeared the first time I had felt like I had failed her and myself." Sage took a deep breath. 

"However, Mentally I split myself off from Halo and the Halo-ken when Shary invaded my mind. I was unsure of what was going on when the Shary I just buried came back to life. The fight that ensued ended up giving us a lot of information about Shary and I was able to take on the fight then and win. That was about the time we woke up. Hate to say it, but we gotta talk to Cale before we can tell you all what the information is. " 

Cye nodded as he was cooking indicating that he had heard everything. Looking at Sage and Shary he could tell that the bond between them had intensified some how and he was about ready to give his trident to find out how the hell that had happened with Sage asleep and fighting dreams. 

Shary could tell how anxious Cye wanted to know about the information but he would just have to wait. So she decided to change the subject. "So what's cooking? I can't wait to eat." She pulled herself onto the counter, dangling her legs over the edge and just looking on innocently. 

Knowing that Shary could be a little bit of a trickster in the kitchen Sage shot her a look that told her that with Cye it was not a good idea to mess up his cooking. Cye did not see the looks exchanged and answered. "Well, I was thinking something of a brunch for you two. I know that Sage there will need the proteins in the Eggs that I am making the omelets with and you will both need the vitamin balance in everything else." 

Sage nodded in agreement and about 20 minutes later there was a meal for three on the table and Cye sat back and watched Sage as he prepared to eat. Looking at the food like he had never eaten before Sage filled his plate and left the rest for Shary as he started eating. He was Tidy about it but he was fast pleasantly surprised that his coordination was not impaired by the unexpected 18 hours of sleep. 

"What do you think Shary? I think this is just great." He saluted Cye with his chopsticks before he continued with his meal. The food was done ala Cye hence there was little of any fish in any of the recipes. But Cye knew the rule about protein needs and so he would occationally use fish in his cooking to keep them all healthy and going in the same direction. 

"I think that you are a wonderful chef, Cye-san." She smiled at him and continued to eat her fill. It had everything they needed to regain their strength and it also tasted great. She really didn't care for fish but even that tasted good. Swallowing her mouth full she asked Cye how the day at school went and where everyone else was. 

"Well, Ryo and the others are waiting at Carrie's place for Dais, Kayura and the others. Something about Damion not being from the Mortal Realm or something like that." Cye thought on things for a moment and then smiled. But they all said that they would be here as soon as possible. I was sent on ahead to make sure you two didn't sleep your lives away and start dinner since we are going to be having company. Carrie's mother sent some things with me and so I think we will have enough for everyone tonight." 

Sage nodded familiar with the way Carrie's mother worked. If they were having a lot of company for planning she always sent a dish or something with Cye to help feed the group. "She is very kind, I will have to send her a letter, ne Shary? 

"Oh I agree completely! She is such a nice lady. Here, I'll take these plates in and get everything ready for when everyone comes over." She stood up and took the plates into the kitchen. As she placed them in the sink she thought about her friends coming over. Her thoughts turned to one person in particular and she was glad that neither Sage nor Cye were here to see her red face. 

He was a great guy and he had a big heart, that she could tell from the start. At first she thought it might be just a crush or puppy love but it felt deeper than that. Maybe she was imagining but she felt like she was in love. She began to fiddle with her ring. 

~No. What would he see in me? I mean... I'm sure he has girls lined up for him. Aah who am I kidding? Time to stop daydreaming girl.~ Drying her hands she told the guys she was going to change and headed to her room. She slowly undresses and slipped on an old t-shirt and lay on the bed for a moment. ~I want to tell him but... maybe later. When this is over.~ 

A gentle knock on the door alerted Shary that there was someone that wanted to speak to her. ~Ni-chan, you decent enough to see your bro??~ Sage was teasing her again as her rattled out a quick staccato beat on her door. "We still have to practice sometime along all of this mess for the program in the next couple weeks." 

"Just a sec.~ She pulled on some old sweat pants and tied her hair back. She opened the door and smiled when she saw her brother. "Ready when you are." As they walked down the hallway to the stairs, however, she just had to ask him. As the saying went if you couldn't trust your family who could you trust? 

"Jikei... what can you tell me about Kento?" She tried hard not to blush when he looked over at her. 

"This is getting pretty serious here ne imouto-chan? What do you want to know about my friend in orange??" Sage walked up to the Piano and ran a few scales to warm up his voice and then moved over for Shary to sit down at the keyboard and pulled up a separate music stand for his own music and then warmed up his concert flute and looked at her his eyes smiling as he knew that she definitely liked Kento.

She shrugged her shoulders a bit; her cheeks tinted a pink color. She let her fingers do a few exercises before she said anything. "Just curious, that's all." She was starting to think that this was a bad idea to begin with. 

Sage cocked his head at her and looked at her from under the hair that always fell in his face. ~Spit it out, I can help you now, or you can wait until the man himself is here and ask him yourself?~ a slight smile curled his lips upward as he noted her shade of pink deepening. 

She hit a sour note, which matched the look on her face. ~You are a sneak! But... I don't know. I guess I like him. But it feels more than just mutual liking. Maybe I'm just imagining it or something but I don't know.~ She leaned against him, resting her back against him. She idly played a couple of notes with her left hand. Slow notes since she wasn't left-handed. ~How do I ever know he likes me much less the same feelings as I do for him?~ 

~How about giving it time and taking on the problems of the world one at a time? I had to learn that lesson the hard way when we battled Talpa.~ Sage played some scales on the flute his fingers flying over the keys and stops running the scales all the way to the top of the instrument's range and back down in 32nd notes. 

~Your right. But that won't stop me from wondering.~ She pulled her hair over her shoulder and idly played with it. ~So... You going to tell me some things about Kento or will I be forced to make you tell me?~ she teased him. He always knew what to say. 

~If you two would get your collective acts together after this he would take good care of you. He is a good friend, Hard headed and more stubborn that I am at times, but that is only because he cares. Just don't push anything until this mess is cleaned up. Please? I don't want to see you or Ken hurt.~ Sage was looking out for the both of them. Kento was a good friend and could be counted on in battle; He did not want to see that soft heart of his get squished because of Damion. 

Shary was a whole 'nother ball of wax. She was his sister in more ways than one and like the older brother he tended to act like; he would not tolerate anyone hurting his sister, that was his prerogative. The general attitude that no one picked on his siblings but him was common among the three even before Sage and Shary found out about the bond that held the three of them together. 

~Okay. When this is all over I'll tell him. Thanks for listening to him, jikei.~ She smiled at him and shifted in her seat again to position both hands over the keys. Reading the notes on the sheet music she began to play the music. The music relaxed her more and eased some troubled thoughts she had. 

Measures later Sage came in on the Flute and as he adjusted the tone and the volume to matched and weave around the Piano Sage's eyes slowly closed and soon he was swaying slightly in time to the music. The images that the music brought to his mind were memories that he thought were lost so many years ago after Shary disappeared. Working together to learn the kata, Taking dancing lessons from Grandfather to improve their sense of time and each other. 

As the music came to a close he realized that he had improvised most of the music from what he had felt and was surprised out of is calm. ~Remember the dance??~ 

Shary smiled and nodded softly. She remembered all right. It was fun if a bit unusual but they both enjoyed and learn to work closer. As she played the last notes she looked over at him. "Do you want to see if we still can dance together?" she asked him, still smiling. 

"Would you like a little night music to go with that??" Sage looked at the doorway to find Cye Standing there with Ryo. The others had arrived for the meeting and they had been listening to the music that had been coming from the room. Ryo pulled out a well-tuned acoustic guitar and quickly ran through several chords his fingers moving as fast as his armor's namesake along the fingerboard. Satisfied with the tone of the instrument, he looked over at Cye who sat at the piano and nudged Shary to one side. 

Flicking his fingers a little bit he ran through a fast song he had learned years ago Ryo vaguely recognized as "Fire Dance". Cye was using the song to test the reaction of the keys and how much weight was needed for the fast runs that might happen should they be needed since he tended to be a feather touch on the keys no matter what the piano. 

Both of them looked at Sage and Shary ready to play at the downbeat if they were willing to show off again. ~Let's show them what earned me my nickname of Peacock. You get to choose the dance step then we will go as Grandfather taught us with our own flare.~ 

~Whatever you saw... brother peacock.~ She smiled and stood up and moved to a section of the room where there was enough space to dance. She went through the steps in her mind before doing them. She had forgotten how much dancing was, especially the kind she and Sage learned together. It gave her a thrill to know she was doing something that no one in her family could ever do. 

~Brazilian Tango at 1 1/2 speed?~ Sage grinned as he knew that the instruments that were in the room were perfect for the dance. "Brazilian Tango Cye, Ryo," Sage counted out the time and then gave the downbeat as he struck the classic start pose as Ryo started with the beat on the guitar. 

~Oh you really want to show them how you got your nickname don't you?~ She waited on the side for him, waiting for the moment when they began the dance together. This was going to be some show, that she already could tell. 

The Piano came in softly yet firmly as the beat was smooth and hard at the same time. As Shary swept in to start the dance as a partner in the old style Sage took her up and his eyes blazed with the passion of the dance. Moving sharply they swept about the room as the music grew in intensity and speed until Sage and Shary looked like a single entity moving about the room. 

Moving in perfect synch to the music they separated and came back together as Sage played the part of the Passionate/Jealous lover to perfection. His eyes snapped and as he spun her out and brought her back in he could tell that she was enjoying playing the part of the flirtatious/sensual female. Her eyes sparkled as she moved to the music, teasing the lover and yet always coming back to him as he would not let her go. Intertwined in the dance they ended it perfectly with his rejection of her affections his pride having been struck too often. 

The music came to an abrupt stop with their final movement and Shary was on the floor in her position of submission and Sage was in the pose of the stung lover. They held the position a moment and then Sage broke the tension that hung in the air by smiling. He was breathing hard and actually sweating lightly as he held out his hand to help Shary up. Taking a bow he spun her off to take her own bow he noted the looks of pure shock on the faces of everyone in the doorway. Sekhmet's jaw was almost completely on the floor and Dais looked like a mirror image of his comrade. 

"That was what earned me the nickname Peacock." Sage chuckled, as he looked sideways at Shary


	23. Chapter Twenty Three

Raven's Wing  
Chapter 23  
Dragon Dagger  
& Yin-Yang

"And yet you hate being called that as much as I like being called line-walker," she replied back. But she smiled at him and then at everyone else. She resisted the urge to tease the Warlord and just continued to smile sweetly at them. "I take it you all enjoyed the little dance?" 

Rowen and Cale merely nodded, as they had known that the two were partnered for a lot of things, but they had no idea that they were able to set their very souls on fire with that kind of dancing. Ryo and Cye were busy shaking out their hands from months of disuse on their instruments. They were surprised as well but they too had stunned the others with the depth of emotion they showed in the music. The whole effect was stunning to everyone including Kayura and the other girls. 

Sage grinned at them all as he mopped his forehead as he sat down in one of the chairs. I may not like the nickname you gave me. But even I have to admit that with that dance it is appropriate for the acting. You can't tell me that you didn't enjoy that now Shary, Even we ultra serious people have to cut loose and shock the real world once in a while. Smirking he nodded towards Cale. ~Time to go have a little chat with the local yokel of darkness.~ 

~I'll get him. I guess we should tell him in the kitchen. Meet you there.~ She squeezes his shoulder and then goes over to the Warlord. "Cale... Sage and I have something to tell you." She gestured to the kitchen but first turned to everyone before heading in. "Do you guys want anything to drink? 

Just about everyone wanted water or fruit juices. Sage took down the orders and pushed Cale out of the room towards the kitchen ahead of him knowing that Shary would follow behind shortly. 

Cale was curious about what Sage and Shary had to tell him especially since they weren't willing to tell him in front of everyone else. Once they entered the kitchen he turned and faced Sage. Ok, you and Shary have been hiding something ever since Cye got home from school. It has something to do with me so spit it out. 

Sage looked over his shoulder to see Shary enter the kitchen and close the door behind her. Hopping up on the counter Sage got ready for some long explanations. Well, did you know that you have living family?? 

Cale stood shock still as heard Sage and then looked at Shary. He's kidding right?? 

But she only shook her head softly. "No he isn't. It seems that you really do have some living family members. In fact... you have a brother and sister." She got some glasses out and then opened the fridge. She decided to leave the rest up to Sage since he knew him best. 

Sage looked at Cale and then grabbed Shary in a three-way mind link and showed Cale what they learned in his dream state. The sequence was long but once it was completed Cale looked at them both not believing what he had seen. 

Yet something told him that it was the truth. Something deep within him told him that they had told him the complete truth and that they were the pieces in his life that he had been looking for, for so long he was alone. Now in the period of one night he had not one, but two siblings. One of them was his sister, a young woman that already a while back he had sworn to protect. Now he had a greater reason than Sage's wrath to protect her. She was his little sister and now this was family. Now he understood how Sage felt when he started taking this so seriously. 

The brother he never had. Was actually his brother. He had trouble digesting that one because for so long he and Sage had fought as enemies. Even as friends and brothers at arms there was something that tied them closer than the fact that their armors were the opposites of each other. 

Now he understood the pull he had been feeling to stay around the pair. They were family. Looking at the two with new insight he finally got the look of shock off his face and took the drinks out of Shary's hands. Hugging her gently he looked at her and then to Sage. ~Thank you.~ 

It was all he could come up with, but Sage's look of understanding told him that it was enough. Shary needed older brothers and they both needed a sister. Now they all had what they needed. 

She smiled at them, one of genuine love for them. She had a family, a real one that loved her for who she was. She felt so happy now and balanced as never before. There was no way she was going to let anything happen to her brothers or her friends. She nodded to Sage and they all left to the living room. Now, all that was left was to tell everyone else. 

~I wonder how they're going to take the news.~ she thought to herself. 

Sage hugged her and clasped arms with Cale and stuck Shary between them. Grabbing the tray of drinks in one smooth motion he handed them to Cale and grinned. Well, shall we go and drop the bomb and wait in the fall out shelter?? 

"Drop the bomb. I can't to see the look on everyone's face though when we tell them." 

"Are you finally going to tell us what the big secret is?" Cye asked as he looked up at them. Whatever it was going to be big. 

Cale grinned the one wolf to another grin at Shary and Sage then spoke. Well, Dais, Kayura and Sekhmet all know that I don't have any family that is still living. That grabbed all of their attention. 

Well what if I told you that I was standing with my twin Brother and Twin sister right now?? The bomb had been dropped and now the grinning trio was waiting for the fallout. 

For a moment nothing was said and everything was entirely quiet. Everyone had that been-hit-in-the-back-of-the-head-bug-eyed-mouth-gapping-completely-shocked-unblievliable-believe-it-or-not look on their faces. It lasted for maybe a second before they all began talking at once. The trio weren't sure what was being said but one thing was clear: everyone wanted to know how and when this all happened. 

Shary bite her lower lip as she thought back to her brothers. ~That fall-out shelter was a really good idea. Is it still too late to head for it?~ 

~Well we stepped off the plank. Might as well dive in.~ Sage put his fingers to his lips and blew a short shrill blast that shut everyone up. Much better. You know it is much easier to answer questions when they are asked one at a time and in a manner that we can comprehend. 

Oh right. Well, I guess the main question is how can you three be siblings?" Ryo asked. Everyone nodded that that's wanted to know first. 

"Well, we're not really siblings by blood but we are by spirit. So that makes us soul siblings." Shary explained in simple terms. 

"Alright. When did you find out about this?" Kayura asked. 

"It kinda happened after Damion tried to split my armor in half. And it's a long story so I guess we should all make ourselves comfortable first." 

Cale, Sage, and Shary all found seats next to each other with the brothers on either side of Shary. You all know that Sage almost killed himself helping Shary last night. Well when he was sleeping he was locked into a battle with the ghosts of his past. Sage nodded to show that Cale was on the right track. 

Well one of the battles was coping with the feelings of failure to protect Shary. When he lost again Shary had already entered his mind through their bond. But he had already divorced himself from the Halo Crystal and Halo-ken. Shary's spirit of the past rose up again and Sage took off leaving Shary and the corpse to battle. 

It was during this battle that they learned from the spirit of Shary's past that we were triplets in the age of the gods. Cale finished the readers digest version of the story and looked at Sage and Shary for confirmation. Sage nodded even he did not like the world knowing that the ghosts of his past had scared him into flight when Talpa's forces couldn't make him run. 

Shary reached over and squeezed his hand. She projected reassurance through the link, telling him not to worry. "That's pretty much it. And it actually answers a few questions I've had for a while." 

"Such as?" Dais asked. 

"When Sage and I first meet, something seemed to click and then the same thing happened to Cale. The only difference is that it took longer. And when they helped me get rid of Damion I was able to control their armors with ease. And maybe that's also why my swords didn't merge into one again." 

Once you touched the extremes and handled them individually the power separation would make sense. Rowen muttered to himself and then he spoke up. My question then is. Why didn't your entire Armor split after that fiasco? 

"If it did no one would be alive. They need each other to balance each other out and in very rare and extreme cases will the armor separate but only to merge together once more when the job is done." She paused for a moment to try and explain what the deal behind the armors was. 

"Protection draws its powers from light, purity, and hope. So it's natural that it works very well with Halo. Torture draws it's powers from darkness, chaos, and honor. And the same goes for Corruption. But to answer you're question if the armors are separated the resulting end will kill me." She sighed and leaned back, looking like she was deep in thought. 

"The armors... are siblings as well. Should one feel pain the other reacts to it. And if one is--destroyed, then the other will extract revenge for it then kill itself. Everything has a balance and without... everything is lost." 

They all nodded since they did understand knowing that if one hurt the others would react. The Ronin and Warlord armors acted a little like that when they were focused on one person. 

Sage perked up as something tickled his senses. He noticed that things were quiet outside and even more so in one area of the house. Almost like there was a black hole there for someone to move through. 

~Shary, this is your place, is that supposed to be there?? Cale, if it isn't, what is it that makes it so effing dark??~ He didn't want to alarm the whole group so he kept this to family and listened to the conversations that started up on speculations. 

The young girl strained her hearing. ~Something isn't right.~ But she didn't elaborate on what. 

Cale slightly frowned as well. ~I'm not sure. But it seems we might have an uninvited guest. I'm going to check it out.~ He prepared to get up but paused when Shary squeezed his hand. He easily read the worriment in her eyes.

~Be careful.~


	24. Chapter Twenty Four

Raven's Wing  
Chapter 24  
Dragon Dagger  
& Yin-Yang

Cale nodded and made the excuse that he needed to use the restroom to go upstairs. Heading up the stairs the others did not think anything of it. Cale knew however that he was being listened in on by his newfound siblings and so was careful. Getting closer to the shadow area of the house he could tell that it was not a good shadow. (Any shadow that he could manipulate being a good shadow.) 

~Hey lightning rod, you might want to take a look at this.~ Cale knew that the name would get Sage's attention fast and it did. 

Sage took one look through Cale's mind and tapped Shary. ~It's time sis. Lets go show that creep what we can do together ne??~ 

Shary just nodded and making up excuses themselves went up the stairs. ~Why here? I mean surely he would've felt that everyone was here.~ 

~Or maybe it is the old Dynasty Standby of Trap them one at a time, suck the energy out of them and use them as bait for the others?~ 

~Hey, I resemble that remark!~ Cale shot back teasing Sage about all the times they got to fight back in the days of Talpa. Sage growled slightly but quietly walked into his subarmor noting that Cale had done the same. 

~Let's see what kind of a vendetta the little shadow puppet has for us since we screwed his plans royally the last time he came knocking.~ Cale nodded to the two grinning slightly the old Cale showing through just a little bit. ~This isn't a shadow, it is a portal. I can't tell you where it goes, but I will just about bet it is an invitation to Damion's front door. He does not know about us yet, lets keep it that way as an Ace. Shall we??~ Sage and Cale looked at Shary to see if she was ready for this final confrontation. 

This is what it all came down to. She took a deep breath and brought the spheres together. It caused her body to glow and soon she was in sub-armor. Then she smiled at them with her hands on her hips. ~Ready when you are. Let's go teach Damion a lesson for messing with this family.~ 

Sage looked at Cale and smirked. ~She definitely got your attitude when she is of mind to show what she is really like. No wonder we worked well together.~ Sage poked her lightly and gestured for Cale to precede them into the portal. No way Sage was sending Shary in first. 

Cale entered and was allowed to walk through with no problems, Looking at Shary Sage made a decision. ~I am going in at the same time with you. I refuse to fail again in my duties, especially now that you are really family.~ 

~Whatever you say.~ But she smiled and held his hand. Together the two of them also passed through with no trouble but the symbol sent a warning shock through her system. 

~Something wrong?~ Cale asked silently. 

~Not sure. The symbol seemed to tell me something but I'm not sure what.~ 

~Listen to your armor. Calm and focus on it alone. Let it tell you what is going on. I often did that when I was last here in the dynasty for a fight and it got me out alive.~ Sage was a little jumpy, something wasn't right here and it wasn't the pervasive shadowy miasma that hung over everything. 

Cale wasn't sure of what to make of that information even though he knew that the Armors had abilities of their own. Looking around he could see clearly through the haze. Smiling he knew that he was back in the dynasty since no one who lived here for over 400 years could mistake the stench. That and any one who lived here long enough was able to see quite well in the near dark that was so pervasive in the buildings. 

Shary cleared her mind and focused on what it was saying. But she sighed in frustration. ~Still can't tell. All I can get is 'trap', 'danger' and he knows.' Make any sense to either of you?~ 

~Well the trap was a no duh when it comes to the Dynasty uglies. Danger is a common thing here, and He knows probably means that he figured out the bond between the three of us. There goes one of our Aces.~ Cale sounded like this was another day at the office and Sage had to agree with his tone. For any one of them this was another day at the office. Only this time it was far more personal. 

Looking about Sage called silently for his full armor and raised the Halo-ken to bring light to the shadows that obscured their vision. ~Might want to armor up sis. No telling what that low life is up to here with that trap thing. I am not surprised that the dark one is already in his armor.~ Sage smirked along the link, as he knew he had caught Cale off guard with that remark. 

~Oh very funny. Remind me to laugh later.~ He scowled slightly. 

~Calm down you two. You can tease each other until you're blue in face when we get out.~ Silently her own armor appeared on her body and the swords in each hand. The white/silver blade added a little bit more light. 

~Point taken. You know. I still don't get what Damion's place in this mess. All we know is that he is after you for certain and that the Armors would probably be a convenient bonus on the side.~ Sage was confused as he knew those facts but there was still a piece of the puzzle missing. 

~I know what you mean. I mean why me? It was like he knew this was going to happen or something.~ 

~Don't worry you two. Something tells me when we find him we'll also find the remaining piece of the puzzle.~ Cale said. 

~Then lets flush one snake out of his hole, and I don't mean Sekhmet.~ Sage unleashed the Thunder Bolt Cut into the silence and listened satisfied with the destruction that had just been caused. Then gestured to Shary. ~After you. Cale, we're going to need your particular brand of camouflage.~ 

~Right. Give it all you got dear sister.~ He gave her a small bow. 

Shary bowed back and crossed the swords over her chest. "Balance of Power." The attack was whispered but nonetheless both black and white surges of power came and make just as much destruction as Sage did. ~Batter up.~ 

~Smart mouth.~ Cale brought his sword out and let loose his Black Lightning Slash. He enshrouded them in his darkness, hiding them in his own shadows so they could move with no fear of getting caught. 

~Lead on, I do not want to be the one that gives us away by having to use the power of the Halo armor to see where I am going.~ Sage switched to seeing through Cale's eyes and though it was a strange sensation at first he gradually became accustomed to how the man moved about in the darkness. 

They all quietly headed even deeper into the Dynasty. It was a long and boring walk down a hallway and thanks to Cale's darkness they were well hidden. But they still had no warning as to being watched. 

Damion smirked as he watched them through the looking glass. The opposite twins were here and they brought the girl. That would only make things easier for him. He would make her split the armors but the question was how. An evil smile split his lips as he thought of one. 

Something hit them all at once. One second they were walking to what they could now see was a pair of heavy doors, and they next they were all knocked senseless. Shary slowly sat up and looked around but began to panic; Sage and Cale were nowhere to be found. She blindly reached through the link and followed it through the doors. On the other side she saw her brothers at either side of the large room, sprawled on the floor. In between them stood Damion, in all his glory. 

"Well well now... You've finally made it... Lady Heikou," he smirked at her. 

Shary lifted the swords up and glared at him. "What the hell are you talking about?" 

"Oh you don't remember?" makes a sad face. "Here. Let me show you!" Shoves a memory at her that makes her drop her swords. It was when the armors first merged, that's when they became one. A demon lord saw what power she held and wished for her hand. The gods would not have it and when tried to seduce her she outright blasted him with the armor. So he hid, wanting for a time when he would extract his revenge. 

Shary stared at him with wide eyes as remembrance hit her. "You... You... You...!" she picked up her swords and made to stab him through but froze when her brothers were lifted in the air and deadly swords surrounded them. "No! Don't hurt them!" 

"I won't. Give you the dark half of your armor and then live. If not..." the swords edged closer. 

"Alright! Anything just don't hurt them." She dropped to her knees, crying softly. ~Guys...forgive me.~ She concentrated very hard and like before her armors began to split. Unfortunately it caused her a lot of pain and in an explosion of light the armors stood on their own, Protection and Torture. Shary was laid sprawled between them, unconscious and very pale. 

Sage and Cale were still conscious at a deep level and they both felt her pain as the armors split. ~SageWe have to do this.~ Cale managed to gasp out in his mind. He was in an immense amount of pain. 

Sage was in the same predicament but he agreed. ~I just found her again. I am not about to loose her again.~ Sage reached out to the Armor of Protection. Knowing that Cale was reaching for the Armor of Torture. They hoped that with her ability to control their armors came the willingness of the split armors to work with her twins. 

Giving their power directly to Shary they forged chains of light and dark that held the armors to them as well as to Shary. ~Armor of balance, Light and Dark, Protection and Torture, we call on your power to help us to keep the balance and hear our call.~ 

Sage and Cale called out to the armors as they cast off their armors sending their powers to the newly split armors to keep her alive. They just found each other, now they were not going to lose her to this slime. They couldn't move physically, but their minds were free to travel through the bond to Shary. ~Shary, Call the armor back. Don't worry about us. You have the key, just use it and call us back. Call the armor back.~ Cale's dark powerful voice called to her. 

~Shary, I told you that this was your fight. Even I can't fight this one for you. I said that I would help you all I can. Cale and I entrust our power to you. Call the armor back to you and use it to kill this slime. This is for your and only you. He messed with family, you can't lose us now, just nail him.~ Sage pleaded with her as he reminded her that this was her fight. Damion was the one that insulted her, her family, and her honor. Now was the time to reclaim it. 

Shary's mind was trying to get her body up but it wasn't listening. It was too drained. ~My body... I can't get up.~ But when her sight fell on the armors she got an idea. ~Sage... Cale... I'm going to need your help more than ever.~ 

"I knew it! The armors of heaven and hell will soon belong to me!" He began to walk towards them but stopped when the eyes lit up. "W-what the hell?!" 

"We never thought we would see the likes of you again," Protection spoke up. A female voice. 

"And we will teach you to harm our children," Torture spoke up. This one a male. 

"Children?! But there's only-" but the words died on his tongue. He looked at the two guys and then the girl. "These three are yours?!?!" 

"You stole her honor." 

"You tried to steal her hope." 

"But now, we'll show you the wrath of Heaven and Hell!" They spoke together and faced Damion. They each lifted their sword and began to glow with power. Protection went first and then Torture. 

"WRATH OF THE HIGH HEAVENS!!!" Power blasted from the blade and literally began to tear him apart. 

"OPEN THE GATES OF HELL!!!" and that was just what happened. A black gate opened and shrouded figures dragged Damion in, kicking and screaming for his life. When the gates disappeared Cale and Sage fell in the ground and the armors stood over Shary. Together they spoke as one. 

"Child of Balance, take back what is rightfully yours." The armors merged as one and then melted into her body. Soon she was wearing the armor of balance with one sword instead of two. She groaned and slowly sat up, nursing a pounding headache.


	25. Chapter Twenty Five

Raven's Wing  
Chapter 25  
Dragon Dagger  
& Yin-Yang

Sage reclaimed his armor and was using the Halo-ken to stand as Cale reclaimed his armor and was using the Sword of Darkness to stand. Looking at Shary they nodded to each other. It's over. Now we truly are a family again. Cale sighed as he said those words. 

He was content to have these two as family. He trusted them more than any other and now that he knew that they were family he would be able to help them through the rest of school. Looking at Sage they walked over to Shary and picked her up and carried her between them. Sage was glad. Now he could tell his Grandfather that he found his battle sister. No one needed to know more than that for now and maybe with Cale's age and all they could all move into Shary's place and be a real family. 

~First things first brother. We need to get her home and in bed.~ Cale smiled slightly as he nodded towards Shary who was now sleeping peacefully between her brother's as they carried her back to the portal to go back to the Mortal Realm. 

As they stepped through the Portal they were greeted with the sounds of silence as they realized that they had been gone for most of the night. As they strained their ears to hear the house they realized that everyone was still downstairs. Kayura and Carrie probably halted the Ronin team from coming after them full force. 

As they tucked Shary into her bed her armor disappeared and she was still clothed. It didn't matter to the brothers as they kissed her forehead and crept out of the room and shut the door after them quietly. 

Walking downstairs they were treated to a sight. Dais was sitting in the recliner with Nikki dozing peacefully curled up to him with her head on his chest. Carrie and Cye were sleeping stretched out on the couch and Cye had his arms wrapped around Carrie almost protectively. 

Kayura, Sekmet and Ryo were all sitting on the floor back to back in a triangle sleeping and Rowen and Kento were sitting up watching over it all. Grinning at Kento and Rowen they finished the silent trek down the stairs. Gesturing to the kitchen they knew that Kento would be at least interested if Shary was ok. 

Several hours later after everyone had woke up due to various outbursts and/or loud questions and several repetitions of the story they all agreed that it was time for bed and that the dynasty group would stay there at the house for the rest of the night. 

Cye and Carrie paired off to share one room and Dais and Nikki to the last open guest room. Kayura opted for the couch and Ryo and Sekmet got the floor ready for his guest. Cale and Sage splintered off to Sage's room where Cale took the floor and Sage the bed while Kento and Rowen went back to their rooms and soon after everything was settled for sleeping arrangements, the entire house was dark and asleep. 

~Next day~

Shary was having a good day so far. The students still looked at her, as if judging her but she didn't care. She had a family, friends, and her old life back. The threat was gone and she had never felt so 'balanced'. It was gym again and she changed in her clothes. When she didn't see Nikki or Kento yet she didn't panic. Instead she went to the other side and leaned against the wall, she looked up and saw that a group of the boys had surrounded her. 

"Something on your minds, boys?" she asked calmly, knowing very well what was on their minds but she stayed perfectly calm. 

Kento and Nikki came up the stairs to the main field and as they saw Shary surrounded they were concerned until they heard her ask them if something was on their minds. Grinning to each other they backed off and sat on some benches a slight distance away so that they could hear and watch what was going on and not get in Shary's way if all hell broke loose. 

Yeah, we have something on our minds. We were wondering if you'd like to have a little fun with us. One of the boys snaked out and grabbed her wrist looking around to see if Kento or Nikki were watching. He saw the pair sitting on the bench and as they made eye contact Nikki waved at him and grinned. 

Shary merely grabbed his wrist and managed to twist it behind his back painfully. She was still so perfectly calm as she brushed some hair from her eyes. "Oh you must have my confused with someone else. You see, I don't 'play' with anyone." She shoved the guy into one of his friends with ease. "Especially immature brats as yourself." 

"Why you little-" They weren't going to be dissed like that and decided to teach her a lesson. They had no idea that she would be the one teaching the lesson today. 

Shary merely moved away from the wall and watched as some of the guys ran smack into it. Another one grabbed her shoulder but she grabbed his arms and slammed him onto his back. When she turned to walk away he grabbed her leg. He let go very quickly when she drove her heel into his stomach and was soon gasping for air. Another hot shot tried his luck and grabbed her from behind. He placed her in a full nelson so that left her arms useless. 

Smirking, the ringleader advanced on her. He was intending to just see how big she really was but the moment he touched her shirt he received a knee between his legs and then another under his chin. The holder cried out in pain when both his feet were smashed down, he was too worried about his mashed toes than some girl. 

"Now then. I suggest you all stop this foolish behavior," Shary said as she crossed her arms over her chest. She smiled at her friends but it was lost when more boys gang up on her. No one could tell what was going on but soon boys were flying off in every direction. One even landed on his face near Kento and Nikki. 

In a matter of moments the last of the boys had fallen. The nurse's office was going to be very busy today, not to mention the rest of the week. Shary dusted her hands together and then straightened her clothes and hair some. When she saw the instructor she just shrugged. 

"I warned them. So they brought this on themselves." She smiled at her and went over to her friends. From that moment all word about her being easy or a slut were killed. Now it was spread that if you so much as look as her in a lewd manner you be eating your food through a straw. 

Kento and Nikki looked at her in pride and walked up to her. You did well coming this far in so few weeks. Welcome back Shary-san. Nikki's voice was quiet as they headed towards the lockers. Ryo's class went smoothly now that the Sensei had returned to bring order back to the class. 

Ryo's brand of order had them doing their work and he would help them, but none of them pulled any pranks the one day Ryo took over the class. Most were still too wary of the temper the boy wielded to try anything. 

Lunch had them all together again this time laughing at the stories that were now flying around the school about Shary. Kento looked over at the slim pretty girl and smiled. Tentatively reaching out with his armor link he tapped her. ~umm Shary-san Could I talk to you for a minute??~ His tone was soft with uncertainty and he was nervous. 

Shary smiled at him and nodded slightly. ~Of course.~ She turned to her friends and told them that she would be right back. Silently she followed Kento a little bit away from the group. Maybe this was the time to tell him how she felt. But she wanted to hear what he said first. 

Well, umm. Aw hell, go for broke as they say. Kento screwed up his courage and looked at Shary. Shary, would you be interested in going to a movie Friday? Once he got it out he looked at her carefully looking for signs of laughter or rejection. 

Slowly she broke in a smile and bowed to him. "I would love to." When her eyes meet his they showed that she truly meant what she said. 

Kento broke into a big grin and hugged her on impulse. Thanks Kami-sama. I really liked you for a while now. Just that..Well.. You know. Kento released her as he looked over at the guys who were being awfully quiet. He soon found out why. They were all watching him and Shary and grinning. 

She looked over them and her smile grew. She reached for his hands and held them in her own. "I know. And I have something to tell you as well. You see..." She began to blush lightly. "I've had feelings for you for some time. I wanted to tell you sooner but so much as been happening. I really like you. A lot." She bowed her head some, getting redder. 

~It's about time sis.~ Sage and Cale chimed in grinning. They were standing together next to the tree smirking at her and ignoring Kento's black look. 

Kento looked back at her clearing his face, I know that you three are going to be closer than barnacles to a ship hull until you all get used to being there for each other. But ya think you can ditch them occationally?? He grinned at the looks on the Brothers' faces when he said that but soon had his arm about Shary's shoulders. I will never ever hurt you intentionally Shary. On that you have my word." 

She paused for a moment but wrapped her arms around his thick waist, resting her head on his chest. It felt so good to be held like this by him. "Probably. But don't blame me if they want to follow us." She giggled softly and looked up at him. "And I will try to never hurt you, Kento. I care about you too much to do that to you. I... I love you." 

The newly made couple was startled as they heard cheering and whistling from the entire group at the tree. Cye was hanging upside down with Carrie after having finally asked her out the night before. Cye was floating on cloud nine even after having to play referee to a game of hockey with him as the puck. 

Dais and Sekmet had come outside after Cale called them down and Dais was standing next to Nikki since they had decided to let everyone know that they had been going out for some time now in the Dynasty. That caught everyone off guard causing the couple to grin. Sekmet stood with Ryo and Rowen and was whistling the loudest. 

Grinning Kento gestured to the noisemakers. Shall we go and rejoin the group or let them make the entire school wonder what is going on?? Stooping slightly he kissed her softly on the cheek. 

"I think the school suspects something but lets let them wonder." She linked hands with him and leaned against him as they walked back to the tree. She touched her cheek, keeping the memory of her first kiss deep in her heart. It seemed like everyone was pairing off. And she was happy for them. 

The weak, little girl that first came here had grown up. In her place was a strong, young woman who had a family and friends. Nothing would ever be the same again but she always liked a challenge. She leaned closer to Kento and looked up at him. "Isn't life grand?"


End file.
